The Prodigal Lincoln: Stigmata (REUPLOAD)
by CaptainDarko2.0
Summary: A year and a half after leaving home again, a older and more jaded Lincoln returns back home with his sister Lily to see the family is in a weirder state than before: they are perfect. Too perfect. It's not long before the paranoia and secrets that litter the house have Lincoln ready to find out what is happening. But what he doesn't know...God won't help him here.
1. Return of The Wayward Son

"It's almost noon. Hope she shows up...it's boring in here..."

The sky was a harsh gray and the winds grew violent on this morning as Lincoln and a sleeping Lily in her car seat took shelter for the coming storm in this nearly empty Catholic church that reside close enough to the bus stop he'd said they'd be waiting next to. The boy, hair shaggy and starting to show his age, sits in the back of the pews made of mahogany and scans the entire room. The oddly golden orange lit room showcased a massive room, trimmed with gold and white craftsmanship and caked with some of the best imitation of old Renaissance architecture in a modern setting. Not good enough compared to the actual styles of old, but good enough to pass as the real deal to some. Along with the dense orange light that the chandeliers casted with minor help from the many lit candelabras. Faint traveling light from the sky outside hits the many stained glass windows to allow a ghoulish blue light to balance to color in the room.

Lincoln leans back. The young man wore a gray hoodie, a plain orange t-shirt underneath, dark blue pants that are slight baggy, and a pair of black sneakers. Not the normal attire one dons while attending church. The boy thought about taking a nap as he waiting for his ride, but is cut short as the priest walked through the doors leading into the room. The white collared soothsayer walked along the Masonic checker board patterned nave to the altar to only end up speaking to some of the other members there. Lincoln takes a moment to look at the group of people standing on the altar and then decided to look behind them. The biggest beacon of attention reside there and it was an outrageously detailed rose gold or some stained gold centerpiece of Jesus on the cross. Lincoln studied it from where he sat to see every strand of hair, every body detail from rib linings and wounds and even the crown of thorns that rested on his head looked sharp enough to cut anyone who was dumb enough, or brave enough, to touch it. Lincoln scoffed at the sight and returned his attention to the priest.

The father seemed to be making his way into his fifties and his hair was beginning to grey along with his full beard. Lincoln stared at him as he was leering into the very soul of the unnamed man, looking for a flaw to justify this ministry he was chomping at the bit to pretzel. Lincoln thought about all the common cliched stereotypes one can have for a minister in a Catholic setting. Maybe this minister were like many other ministers and had a kiddie porn dungeon and a sick attraction for his alter boys. Maybe he was one of those strange offset types who has a secret room at his home that's wall to wall with Nazi paraphernalia from pictures to helmets to weapons to the Nazi flag itself. Lincoln joked within the catacombs of his mind that this religion has a New-New Testament that says the church shines a sign of acceptance of alter boy fisiting rape, judging how quick the church and the cult like community that surround it is quick to protect its ministers. The boy shook the thought of preachers dressed as Nazis and looking for poor children to sodomize and sighed. Sure he was Catholicism-numb.

He was only trying to distract himself from the facts that's leading him to live back home. With all his sisters. The fact his father was gone.

A month ago, Lincoln lost his father to what was called a heart attack. Lincoln remembered that the mix match family were about to have dinner before Lincoln's stepmother, who he kept calling Ms. Aster, started an argument with Lynn Sr. The two had a heated vocal match before Lincoln's father gripped his chest and fell to the linoleum flooring. The next day, Lincoln hears his father is okay and would be coming home the next day only to find out, sometime during the night, Lincoln's father just stopped breathing. Though the details of his father's death seems odd, it was written off as failure on the hospital's night staff and just failing health in general. After burying him, Ms. Aster somewhat disappeared entirely. She was just gone without warning, leaving it up to the courts to try to make Rita, Lincoln's mother, his guardian. However, though she's been released from the psyche ward, she has also asked to join a rehab program in Arizona to help her not jump back to her terrible drinking habits and isn't available enough to take care of Lincoln and Lily. With options almost ruled out and the possibility of foster care at the door, the courts try a different approach and decided to ask for the care of Lincoln and Lily to be given to the eldest sibling: Lori. Being labeled as an adult in the eyes of the state, Lincoln and his baby sister are now in her care and are going to move in with them. Movers took all of their belongs to the house and now all the two had to do was go there themselves.

Lincoln looks to his sleeping little sister as he sat of the pew, with a slight feeling of dread looming over him like the storm clouds taking their places in the skies above. The thought of returning to that house with his sisters was still very concerning. There's been no call, no letter no anything from back home. The only person he's had contact with is Lynn. Though she's still in the disciplinary school, the two send letters to one another and Lincoln visited there as often as he could, despite his father's pleas to refrain from it. Through the letters, Lynn makes barely any mention of her other sisters over the time they've been writing. Lynn mentions one afternoon when Leni visited out of the blue about a month ago. She stated that Leni was in a gray sweatsuit and looked pale. She recalled she talked in cryptics and what sounded like verses to a song or something. The visit lasted about five minutes and all Leni could say in the end was "I'm sorry" before getting up and leaving. That note sat in the back of Lincoln's head.

There was no way to know before hand just what has been going on back home. Lincoln wasn't as naive and quick to assume like he did once he served his time, and he wasn't going to be caught off guard now that he has to go back. Now with Lily at his hip and Lynn most likely going to be let go in a matter of days, he had no choice but to be cautious and keep his eyes open. He wanted to believe deep down that all of his sisters cleaned up their acts and changed there ways, but something told him in the back of his head that not much has changed. If anything, things could have gotten worst. Lincoln wanted to shake the thought but turned his attention to the confessional booths across from the main altar and stared at it like it was a beacon of hope. Though the idea of clearing himself of his sins seemed like a good idea, the idea of hope turned into a scheme of blind failure.

Lincoln just shook his head. Going into a confessional is just going to therapy with a deity stabled poorly over it. Why would one spill their guts to a stranger who can't actually help them? A pill for this on one end, a few Hail Marys on the other. Lincoln didn't want to see a reason for him to emotionally filet himself.

Before he can resume his generation X teenage way of thinking, he gets a text on his phone. It was from Lori. Basically, it told him she was mere moments away from the church and to make his way out front. Lincoln puts the phone away in his pocket and looks under his pew to pull out a bag. He digs in the bag aimlessly to find a blanket. He covers up Lily in case it rains and lifts the car seat handle upward. He grabs ahold of the handle, picks it up and made his way for the door before stopping for a moment. He turns to the altar once more to see the behemoth of an icon in rose gold once more. The idea of Jesus, a man who died for the sake of everyone else, rubbed him the wrong way. Lincoln just thought Jesus should have played it smart and saved himself when he had a chance. That is, if Jesus was ever real to begin with. Lincoln didn't think so. He turned his attention to the door and walked into the lobby area before he stops once more. There was this sign by the door. The sign was in a cheap brass plaque that read in off putting black letters in all caps 'TO SEEK IN HE, WHO SEEKS HE, SHALL FIND'. Lincoln groans and walks outside to the fairly wide parking lot onto the sidewalk in a scene all too familiar.

Lincoln sits the sleeping baby next to him as he was gearing up to wait before the sounds of a engine came coming down the road. Lincoln watches in self-righteous silence as the car comes to a clean stop right in front of him. There it was, the same lightly dented Ruidoso brown 1978 Lelend L'accord that came to get him last time. All he was waiting on now was a rough looking Lori to come outside the car to see him. The drivers door open and Lincoln rolled his eyes, not in the sense of being rude, but in a sense he's still very skeptical about this whole situation. Lori walked out of the car and to the sidewalk. Lincoln looks at her for a second and froze.

This..couldn't be right.

* * *

Lori stood there in front of him in a black turtleneck sweater with short sleeves. She had dark blue jeans and a pair of jet black tennis shoes. For some reason, she was wearing black gloves. On top of the, her hair was lush and clean, she smelt like cinnamon and vanilla, and on top of all that...she was smiling. Not a toothy smile but an honest smile.

Lincoln backs up a bit before Lori moves in and hugs him tightly. Lincoln felt like screaming bloody murder, but doesn't. The hug seemed...warm. Comforting. No hint of malice was detected. Lincoln breaks the hug to see the sweet smiling Lori in astonishment. The storms cracks and growls overhead, Lori, without saying as word, picks up Lily in the seat while opening the car door behind the passenger seat and buckles it up. She gently shuts the door and gestures Lincoln to get in. Lincoln, still stunned by just how calm and different she was compared to how he left her. He slowly gets into the car, buckles up and Lori starts driving towards home.

As they start driving down the road, a tune starts playing on the radio-an old tune. Sounded like its was recorded in the 1940s or some time close. The song was easy to listen to and had an old R&B swing to it. However, Lincoln was lost on the track for a split second, feeling it was implying.

I don't want to set the world on fire

I just want to start a flame in your heart

In my heart I have but one desire

And that one is you, no other will do…

Before Lincoln had a moment to analyze the lyrics, Lori turns down the radio and takes a deep breathe.

"Welcome back, Lincoln" Lori said calm and sweetly.

Lincoln is lost. He looks around the car to see it was...clean. No stains. Soda cans were gone. Everything was up to code as if the inside of the car was gutted and redone. Then he smells the air. That same vanilla and cinnamon scent. The harsh smell of lit tobacco wasn't present. Lori noticed Lincoln wasn't looking at her and figure he didn't hear her.

"Did you hear me, Lincoln?" asked Lori as she kept her eyes on the road.

Lincoln stopped what he was doing and looked to Lori.

"Uh, yeah. I heard you. Sorry…" Lincoln said sheepishly.

Lori moves her hand over to Lincoln and pats his head and pet his hair. She giggles a bit.

"Someone needs a haircut, huh?" Lori joked, hoping to kill the silence between them.

Lincoln darts his eyes toward her. Though it was still very strange and the overall tone is still very odd, he could tell she was really trying her best. He puts on a smile and a dry chuckle.

"Nah, I was thinking about keeping it long and shaggy. I think it makes me look older" said Lincoln, still holding his smile.

"Well, it DOES make you look handsome" Lori said nicely.

Lincoln kinda retracts and leans in his seat, not finding that statement easy to take in.

Lori looks to Lincoln and covers her mouth, realizing what she said.

"Lincoln…" started Lori. "I know I've done and said some things a while back that have made you want to hate me, but I want you to know I've changed-we all have."

Lincoln sighs.

"You...y-you do know why I'm not really ready to believe you a hundred percent, right?" asked Lincoln.

Lori nods.

"We put you through so much then but I'm here to say sorry for every horrible thing I've said and done to you...and tried to do to you. That's all in the past. I'm a better woman now" Lori assured.

Lincoln believes it to be genuine, but something just bugged him.

"You may have changed, but what about the others?" asked Lincoln.

"Like I said, we've all changed for the better. Everything is better than it was before. We're almost a different family entirely" Lori insisted.

Lincoln looks out the window.

"Lincoln, I'm not saying I'm worth forgiving but I am asking for the opportunity to prove to you that we love you and we're better then we were before. Isn't that what you wanted?" Lori asked.

Lincoln, still staring outside as the rain starts to drizzle, sighs and looks to Lori. Lori turns on the heat in the car and looks to Lincoln with a sweet smile. Lincoln was still unsure, but knew he can't keep acting like this. Lori seemed truthful and Lincoln did want them to shape up so they could be a family again. Lincoln scratches his head and huffs.

"Maybe I prejudged you, Lori. I'm sorry..I need to learn to trust again" Lincoln said honestly.

Lori pats his head.

"Hey, what's with the gloves anyway, Lori? It's not THAT cold outside" Lincoln asked nicely in jest.

Lori pulls her hand back over to her side of the car, and lightly shakes.

Lincoln looked at her as if she had a third eye.

"I-I'm just a little bit cold, Lincoln. Sorry-short sleeves and such" Lori defended.

Lincoln started at Lori a bit from the corner of his eyes to see she was sweating on the corner of her face. He knew she turned on the heater not too long ago, so why say that?

Lincoln decides to push forward, feeling that settling on the matter would be best.

"So, what is everyone like there? Has everyone changed as drastically as ya leading on?" asked Lincoln.

Lori smiles again.

"Everyone has changed completely, little brother. Trust me-you're going to like being home again. For real this time" Lori said with glee.

Lincoln was finding her peppy attitude somewhat refreshing.

"So, what about Lynn? When will she return?" asked Lincoln.

"Tomorrow. I'll have to have Luna pick her up" said Lori calmly.

Lincoln got quiet.

"Ya...think that's a good idea, Lori?" asked Lincoln.

"Well, those two have some bad blood and if Lynn changed just as much as the rest of us have, she'll be willing to give her a chance. How can we heal unless we make the effort to do so?" Lori commented.

"Are you sure?" asked Lincoln.

Lori chuckles.

"Trust me, Lincoln. I learned on big lesson in this time apart" she said sweetly as she slowly breaks at a stop sign.

"Uh, what is that..?" Lincoln asked.

In that moment, Lori's smile fades to a plain expression and her eyes, once full of life, grown dim and soulless. Lincoln is taken aback.

"That the fear of the unknown is more pleasing than the pain of knowing...so, sometimes...questions aren't the best thing to look for. ..sometimes you have to take what is given to you; fact or not.." said Lori in a monotone fashion.

Before Lincoln to ask a question, Lori snaps back into her peppy mood.

"Oh! We need to hurry back! I nearly forgot about the party!" said Lori happily.

Lincoln's brow rises with concern.

"Uh...party? What party?" asked Lincoln in worry.

Lori slowly turns to him and smiles sweetly.

"Your homecoming party, Lincoln. We been waiting for you!" Lori said excitedly.

Lincoln was lost as Lori drove past the stop sign. It seems like she changed but something again seemed off. Lincoln shook the thought. This is a happy day. He was just being cynical. It's just teenage angst. Nothing more and nothing less. Lincoln stares out the window as Lori starts to hum. However, the humming sounded kind of sad. Lincoln decided to let Lori have this moment and not question everything.

After all, there was a party to enjoy.


	2. Three Little Crows

Lincoln and Lori had some stiff and rather awkward conversation as they drive on, being a fair ten minutes from the house. Lincoln zones out and thought about the way the house was when he first got out of the academy. The house that was waiting for him last time. The last homecoming.

Lincoln didn't want to think about how intense and heavy his last arrival was. Though he found this whole new Lori a tad strange, he's glad she's out of that rut. However, that was something he never asked. She just said they were changed but never said what changed and how it happened. Lincoln felt like he ought to at least prompt the topic.

"Hey, Lori…" said Lincoln.

"Yes, dear brother?" answered Lori calmly.

"I was wondering how you-wait. 'Dear brother'? What's...what's that about?" asked Lincoln, thrown off by the response.

Lori giggled to herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. Only me and the girls call you that. At home, I mean" she answers sweetly.

Lincoln gives Lori a rather clear thorny look. Lori cuts her eyes to him, without losing her cool and clears her throat.

"I mean, you don't like it?" asked Lori calmly.

Lincoln looks dead ahead on the road.

"Sounds kinda Heaven's Gate-ish, but…" Lincoln muttered to himself.

"Hmm?" asked Lori, catching Lincoln in the sassy act.

Lincoln goes quiet while Lori looks at her rear view mirror into the backseat. She then cuts her eyes back to Lincoln.

"You know, Lily is a bit old for a car seat. Wouldn't you agree?" asked Lori.

Lincoln looked to the backseat at the still sleeping Lily. Lily was a few years older at this point-four years old. The girl has grown rather large and looked a tad too snug in the seat. Lily had a full head of hair, similar to Lincoln's, though blonde and feathered on the back. The girl could speak rather well for her age and pretty much should be able to sit in a booster seat, but due to some quiet money trouble before his father died, there were a lot of cutbacks on spending in the house. Money was so tight that Lincoln, though it pained him, had to get himself sweaters from the local church during their yearly charity drive just to have something to wear during the winter months. Another time, Lincoln found a bargain bin for $12 shoes at the mall. He managed to quickly remove the security tag that was ringing the pair together from the laces and walk out the mall with them on, tossing out the old pair in a trash can on his way out.

Lincoln sighs.

"Tell you what. I'll pick her up a booster seat tomorrow after my church meeting" Lori said.

Lincoln stared at her with a brow raised. Lori takes a quick notice.

"What? Was it something I said?" Lori asked.

"Y-Yes! It was!" Lincoln said with a change in volume.

"What did I-" Lori started calmly.

"Since when were you religious?" asked Lincoln.

Lori gets eerily quiet. Lincoln sinks in the passenger seat, not breaking his sights on her for a moment.

"...I take it you're not for religion, yes?" asked Lori calmly.

Lincoln sighs in visible frustration.

"Why would I be, Lori?" asked Lincoln in a spout of insultingly blunt sass.

Lori chuckles.

"Lucy much?" Lori commented snidely.

Lincoln can only scoff.

"I don't go to normal church, Lincoln. You'd….enjoy it" Lori said plainly.

Lincoln hooked on to that statement. Before he could ask more about it, Lori resumes.

"You should reconsider it, dear brother. You'd be surprised what kind of prophets we look up to...you might see yourself in him…" Lori said in that off putting monotone delivery.

Lincoln was starting to get that tense feeling. Something was very wrong here. This time, she sounded like she was threatening him-testing the waters with him before she strikes a killing blow. Lincoln tried to survey his sister from posture to expression. No dice-the woman had no tell. Dead in the driver seat like a statue of copper. Lifeless and without a crack in the presentation.

"L-Lori..?" Lincoln started with a low quake. "What...kinda prophets do you look up to..?"

Time seemed to have stopped at that moment. The gray sky seemed heavier and covered the sky like a blanket of obsidian. The light snores of the child in the backseat ceased. The car seemed to feel like it has stopped running. The boy looks at Lori like a small thing to a giant. Even with the years that passed, the boy felt like he was still just an ant compared to the powerhouse that was Lori. Lori smiles in a frame that seemed as if the world through the sweating boy's eyes were going in slow motion and cut her eyes to Lincoln once more, splitting him down the middle. The audio of the world seemed to have muted as the loud bass thumping of his heart beat fill his ears.

"Lincoln…" Lori said slowly.

His name rung loudly and lingered on as if she spoke into an echoing plain of emptiness. Lincoln started to pant. Did she actually just said…?

"We're here!" Lori said normally with a bright smile.

Lincoln blinked and looked around. The sky was gray. The snoring is heard. Everything was back to normal. Lincoln tried to get a full scan of the setting as his pupils dart around the car looking for an idea of what just occurred. Lori's smile fades as she starts to develop worry for her brother.

"L-Lincoln? Are you okay?" Lori asked sweetly. "You seemed to have spaced out."

Lori makes an attempt to pat Lincoln on the head, but Lincoln jerks back and hits his back against the fold of the car door and the seat. He inhales sharply and made Lori covered her mouth in surprise at the sudden action. Lincoln looks at her with fear.

"W-What did you say?" asked Lincoln. "D-Did you say-"

"Did I say what?-" Lori started.

"STOP INTERRUPTING ME!" shouted Lincoln, clearly afraid and feeling trapped.

Lori's mouth opened while the sleeping Lily awakens and rubs her eyes. Lori turns her head to Lily and smiles. Lincoln didn't like that shift-not in the slightest. Lincoln watches as Lori motions to the backseat in what looks like an attempt to pick Lily up. Lincoln's body tenses up and his breathing picks up. As Lori reaches to the backseat of the car, Lincoln quickly extends his hand and smacks Lori's hands downward. The smacking sound causing the half awake Lily to snap into alert. Lori quickly pulls her hands back and holds them close to her chest. Lincoln stares down at his older sister.

"Don't…touch her…" Lincoln said firmly.

Lori stares at Lincoln with tears forming. Lincoln reviews her and was lost. He stared at her gloved hands. Lori looks away.

"You still don't trust me…" Lori said.

Lincoln kept looking at Lori's hands as they shook. He seriously started to question his actions. Was all that in this head? Was Lori really saying that to him? He wasn't sure at the moment. For all he knew, he was still stuck wearing a cynical set of blinders from past experiences and what he was seeing and hearing were of his own creation rather something occurring in his reality. Regardless, he felt a tad guilty and decided to drum up an excuse to make up for his rather unnecessary action.

"S-Sorry, Lori...i-it's not that.." Lincoln said unconvincingly.

"T-Then what-" started Lori.

"Lily just likes to be around me so…" Lincoln said, not wanting to look in Lori's direction.

Lori was rather stunned by that statement. She turns to Lily and from that distence, she spoke to the child.

"Lily?" asked Lori.

Lily looked at Lori with scared eyes, barely remembering the blonde haired lady that drove her here.

"Do you...want me to pick you up?" asked Lori shaking, clearly saddened.

Lily looks to Lincoln for guidance. Lincoln simply nods, giving Lily free range to answer. However, Lily closed her eyes and shook her head quickly, signaling a no. Lori hangs her head defeated. She glares up to Lincoln. Lincoln was honestly rather upset by this. Lincoln was afraid, but most likely for the wrong reason. He wasn't trying to hurt her. Lincoln turns his attention back to Lily. Lily quickly opens her eyes and reaches out to him.

"Linc.." Lily spoke. "Can you pick me up?"

Lori looked absolutely pitiful. The young woman gave a pathetic expression. Lincoln opens the door of the car, getting ready to hop out and let Lily out of her seat. As he hops out, he takes a moment to look at the house. He was so focused on Lori to register that they were sitting in the driveway. Lincoln looks to see the house on the outside looked...unusually clean. The grass was cut like it was done professionally. The house and the paint job on it looked as if the house had just got done being built.. Everything about the outside of the house looked off. Not only it gave off a very bizarre dollhouse presentation, but it also seemed rather vacant. The usual noises and crashing from the house when Lincoln was younger weren't present. Neither where the sounds of cursing and fighting from just a year and a half earlier. It was rather strange. As the rain began to pick up again, Lincoln was about to turn around to the backseat until he heard a noise.

The faint cries of crows.

Lincoln looked around the block to see a troubling amount of crows that littered the street and along the sidewalk. Lincoln slowly walks to the car door and opens it up, picking up Lily from the seat and walking with her to the porch. Lori stays in the car, gripping the steering wheel. Lincoln holds Lily close as he looks back at Lori. Him and Lori make eyes contact. Lori tries to smile for him but quickly looks downward and frowns, defeated and hollow. Lincoln stands in front of the main door of the Loud house a little guilty. He reached out to knock on the door while still looking at Lori. He keeps attempting to knock to only feel a chill. Lily tugs softly on Lincoln's long hair, prompting him to look forward to see the door was wide open. He never made contact with the door.

"W-Wha…?" said Lincoln as he stared into the dark house.

The faint sounds of a growling and hissing is heard inside the darkness. Lincoln back away slowly from the door and shakes with the child in his arms, but holding on to her tightly. Lily takes notice of Lincoln's behavior and gives a worried expression.

"Lincy?" asked Lily.

Lincoln quickly turns around to the car, hoping to see Lori in the front seat. She was gone.

Sweat began to form over his face.

"Lincy?" asked Lily again.

Lincoln darts his eyes into the yard to see a bunch of crows lurking in the yard. Three little crows. Lincoln watched all three them fly up to the doorstep. Lincoln starts to breathe heavily.

"Lincy..?" asked Lily again as she lightly taps her older brothers forehead to get his attention to no effect.

The crows, doll eyed and empty, stared deeply into Lincoln's inner being, making Lincoln rattle and shake with disgiving. One of the crows, the one the rested on the right of the other two, leaned in closely from where it was perched. It' opened up it's beak and in what Lincoln assumed was going to be a caw, but a different sound altogether.

"Leave them, Lincoln..." the first crow cawed.

Lincoln's eyes widen and he starts to grip his hair. The second crow leans in close.

"You are in danger, Lincoln…" the second one cawed.

Lincoln's vision begins to grow fuzzy and the audio around him was starting to be inaudible. The sounds of the thunder sounded like the shot bass of the theater of the mind. The crows looked like misty black imp-like blobs that sat on the doorstep, beaming at him with their bleak, plastic-like eyes. The third and last crow-beast leaned in closely.

"I smell blood on the leaves, Lincoln…" the creature caws in a awful bellow of crackled sounds and scrambled pitches.

Lincoln shuts his eyes, panting. On the brink of bursting into tears before a feeling overcame his head. And press-a connection to something. He opens up his eyes. The crows were gone, but so was Lori. Lincoln darts his eyes to his left to see it was Lily hugging his head. The child held on to his head tight enough to signal Lincoln.

"It's okay, Lincy" Lily said with the smile. "The bad monsters can't hurt you."

Lincoln sighed as his heartbeat got normal.

"Does your head hurt again, Lincy?" asked Lily.

Lincoln put up a brave face.

"Y-Yeah. Sorry, Lily" Lincoln said with a smile. "I'll have to take my medicine. I kinda don't like taking them."

"But daddy said-" started Lily.

* * *

Suddenly, there was a clicking noise behind them in the doorway. Lincoln makes a quick turn to the doorway and screams at the the sight of two beings at the door. Lincoln regains his footing and composure and takes another look. In the doorway were...Lana and Lola.

Lana and her twin Lola were side by side. They were both wear black t-shirts, only with Lana wear some dark gray overalls with hers and Lola with white jeans with a sliver and black sparkle detail on the front part of the legs. Both had on black sneakers. Lola was without her crown and Lana had on a dark gray ball cap. Lincoln studied them to see Lola was no longer wearing her collar. That and in a very unsettling trend. Both of the girls were wearing gloves.

The two girls held hands and looked into each others eyes and closed them. In perfect sync, the two turn their heads towards Lincoln and smiled at the exact same time.

"Bienvenue à la maison, notre sauveur Lincoln. Cela fait si longtemps, oui?" they said in sweet unison.

Lincoln just stared at the two, freaked out by the fact they were speaking another language. Lily, not familiar with the faces of Lola and Lana, holds Lincoln's head closely.

"What did you just say..?"

The twins giggled.

"Don't be scared, dear brother. We were simply welcoming you!" said the twins together.

"Oh yay...they say 'dear brother' too...yeah, not creepy at all…" thought the sarcastic boy to himself.

"Do you two just talk at the same time now or..?"

"Oh, we're just in sync" Lana said with a glee smile.

"Yes! In fact, we are so in sync…" Lola said giddily.

"That we could-" Lana resumed.

"Finish each other's-" Lola adds.

"Banana." said Lana.

Everything got quiet and despite the eerie start from earlier, Lincoln cracks a smirk and was about to laugh. Lana realized her flub once Lola started tapping her foot. Lana holds her arm embarrassed.

"Gosh darn it, Lana" Lola said with an eye roll.

Lincoln noticed looking behind the twins that the house was lit. Which has odd since it was dark not too long ago. The twins grabbed Lincoln's hand and led him inside, as the sound of the other sisters talking began to be heard. As Lincoln turns his head to outside one last time, he sees Lori. Lori was looking up at what looked like a window at the house, tears rolling down her eyes. She smiles toward wherever she was staring at. Lincoln stares as the front door starts closing as the storm starts to growl and the rain picks up. Lori darts her eyes at the door to see Lincoln looking at her. Lori, as if trained, smiled brightly at him with rain damping her hair and her tears mixing with the rain. The door shuts and the 'party' begins.


	3. Homecoming (Pt 1)

Lincoln stood with Lily a few steps away from the self-shutting door fluke and scanned the house like a watchman, checking to see if the house was still a cesspool of scum and villainy as he left it. He knew it would be awful if it was still in a broken state but after what he's already seen, he'd rather it have those familiar signs instead of the very strange cheery tone he already sampled. However, he was wrong. The house looked spotless; so perfect in how everything is positioned, it looked like a house of plastic. The house smelled like Lori did-vanilla and cinnamon. The sweet smell started to annoy him a bit but hid his growing detest of the scent since Lily was sniffing the air fairly hard and was enjoying the aroma. Lincoln moved a few steps into the living room to see everything was unusually in order. The twins stood there looking at each other, slowly getting discouraged. The both started to look disappointed. Lincoln turns to them to ask them something and noticed their current moods, silencing him. However, there was a clang from the kitchen that startled Lincoln slightly. He looks to the way where the kitchen was, hearing movement going on there. He turned to the twins and jumped back a bit in a sudden fright.

The girls were smiling at him. However, these smiles seemed more desperate and forced than they were before. Lincoln looked at them with a rather uneasy look, not sure why they were snapped into attention like that. As he examines them further, he starting to noticing odd tells. They look like they were trembling-shaking like frighted puppies. Their faces had moist spots where sweat was taking form and their eyes seem to appear glassy as if they were about to cry. Lola and Lana's eyes slightly widen when it became clear Lincoln was studying their actions. They knew something had to be said. Lana opened her mouth but before she could speak, Lola beats her too it.

"Nous vivons dans un état constant de peur et de misère!" Lola shouts in a hushed tone.

Lincoln looked at her, not sure what she said but knew it sounded alarming. Lana's mouth was slightly ajar. Lincoln, being paranoid enough as it is, noticed Lana's expression. He looks to see Lola looked white and stiff. The fear was of one of a child saying a swear word right in front of their parents and knows that hell was coming to them. Just as the room gets quiet, the movement in the kitchen ceased. Lola lets out a gulp.

"Lola, are you okay..?" asked Lincoln concerned.

"I...I..uh..I-I-I-I...well…" Lola said, lost of words.

"S-She was saying that she felt bad!" Lana said, trying to push the conversation forward.

Lincoln looks to Lola again, who calmed down completely.

"Y-Yes. The way you were looking at the house…" started Lola.

"Made us think…" Lana added.

"You still don't…" resumed Lola.

"Trust us at all." Lana finished.

Lincoln stood puzzled as the girls did looked upset about something. As soon as that was said, the movement in the kitchen was heard once again. Lincoln didn't know how to tally the situation and figured maybe they were really down by his visibly skeptic behavior. Lola looked as if she was in a vegetated state of some kind. She looked limp in the arms and lifeless everywhere else. Lana, without looking at her, held her hand and started to softly sing to her, low enough to where only they could hear.

'' _Là-bas renaît lentement l'arc-en-ciel._

 _Pareil à notre amour ardent et presque irréel_

 _vers lui je voudrais partir avec vous_

 _car tout y parait plus charmant plus clair et plus doux._ "

Lola quickly snaps back into position and smiled softly as if she was relieved. Lincoln was mesmerized. He never would have guessed that Lana, of all his sisters, could sing so beautifully. Lincoln picked up on the cadence of the song.

"Lana, were...you singing-" started Lincoln.

"Over The Rainbow, yes" said Lana, kinda embarrassed.

"I...didn't know you could sing…" Lincoln said with a slight smile, rather impressed with Lana's skill.

Lana just stood there, mildly blushing from the praise. Lola picks up on it and decides to speak.

"Yes! While we were learning French, she picked up on a few French songs and she started singing them! She's very good!" Lola gushed.

Lana laughs nervously.

"I learned it calmed Lola down when she's sad. So, when she gets down, I sing to her. Makes her feel better" Lana said with a smile.

Lincoln noticed they were still holding hands rather firmly. In a fashion of comfort, rather than a sense of being strange for the sake of being strange.

"So.." Lincoln said as he lets Lily down on the ground, who quickly holds on to Lincoln's leg. "What made you want to learn French anyway? I can kinda see Lola, but...why you?"

"It was a requir-" started Lana before Lola bumped her in the arm. "I-I mean, it's something to do, I guess. Wanted to...culture myself."

Lincoln is starting to see the weirdness in the situation again.

Lola laughs nervously.

"Don't worry about it too much, dear brother" Lola said with a grin.

Lincoln shivers a bit and coughs.

"The 'dear brother' bit...that's, uh...really a thing, huh?" asked Lincoln uncomfortably.

The twins looked at one another and then to Lincoln.

"You don't like it?" they asked in unison.

"Wow. Is déjà vu French too?" asked Lincoln in a backhanded manner.

"It is!" said the twins as the same time.

Lincoln sighed as Lana turned her attention at Lily. She raised her hand and did a cutesy finger wave at Lily. Lily buries her face into Lincoln's pant leg. Lincoln feels his baby sister's jerking on his leg and turns his head to her. Lana giggles and and gets on her knees, letting go on Lola.

"Aww...she's all shy" said Lana in a cutesy way in an attempt to sound less threatening.

As Lana reached out to touch Lily, Lily's peers from the cracks of the denim and swats at Lana's hand. Lana recoils and holds her hand, looking at the child as if she punched her in the gut.

"No!" Lily shouts as she buries her face again.

Lana looked devastated as Lola kneels to comfort her.

"Why..why did she do that?" asked Lola. "We're her sisters…"

Lincoln looked to Lily, who looked very upset locking eyes with him. He sighs and turns to the twins on the ground.

"Girls, you gotta understand…" Lincoln started. "Lily hasn't seen you since she was fifteen months. She doesn't really..you know, remember your faces like she once have. In a way, she doesn't really know you...not like back then."

Lola lightly gasped.

"So...she doesn't remember us..?" asked Lana, crack in her voice.

Lincoln doesn't answer.

Lana looks at Lily and tries to reach for her again.

"Lily-" started Lana.

"Lincy!" said Lily, nearing tears as she frantically pulls on his leg.

Lincoln picks her up and holds her close. Lily grabs ahold on Lincoln's hoodie and buries her face; sniffling and trying not to cry. Lincoln stroke her blonde hair to calm her while letting out a sigh. He faces the twins as they got off the ground.

"Girls, it's going to take some time-" he started.

"It's fine. We..." started Lana in a monotone fashion as she looks at the floor.

"Understand…" finished Lola in the same fashion.

There twins bowed in front of Lincoln, causing him to take a step back.

"Au revoir, Lincoln. Lis…" said Lola as she walks out of the room.

Lana stopped her bow and looked at Lincoln and Lily with heavy eyes. She sighs.

"Adieu, Lincoln ... notre sauveur…" Lana said s she follows Lola out the room.

Lincoln sighs and looks at Lily. Hearing the sounds of a door shutting, making clear the twins have left.

"Lily, why did you do that?" asked Lincoln firmly.

Lily peeked from his hoodie.

"She was scary...her face was scary…" said Lily meekly.

Lincoln groaned.

"Lily, look. I know you're scared. I'm...scared too.." he started looking away for a moment before looking back to her. "But we have each other. Though you may not remember them like you should, this is your family and…"

Lincoln paused.

"Follow me, Linc…" said a voice.

Lincoln stared off into the living room, frozen with the child in his hands.

"Lincy..?" started Lily shaking. "You're doing your scary face again..."

* * *

Lincoln couldn't hear her. The room was starting to wobble out of frame and start getting blurry. The air grew cold and dense. Lincoln's eyes darts everywhere, trying to catch everything in sight properly only to fail once the normal objects in the room started to take forms of various shapes. The coffee table was a large rectangular slab robbed of color and texture. The television turned into a blank rectangle as well, but was floating in midair is if it was frozen in time. As the rest of the room began to randomly morph and fade in and out of possible reality, it was heard again.

"Follow me, Linc..." said the voice.

"L-Lynn?" thought Lincoln to himself.

The boy stares off into into space as the room turns to grayscale and everything froze.

"Follow me, Linc…"

"There's danger, Linc…"

"Why is Lily here?..."

"It's not safe…"

"Haven't you learned before?..."

Lincoln stands stiff as the voice, dreamy in tone with an echo, fades. What follows are the faint sounds of crying. Not just any crying, the collective sounds of multiple people crying. The crying fades in and out with the sounds of screaming-such pain filled, horrid screaming. The sounds of voices begging and pleading for mercy rises from the cracks of the floors into his mental, clashing and managing itself with the horrible vocals of anguish and despair that already occupied him. As the noise weighed on him, he hears something else, something louder that was cutting through the other miserable melodies. The sounds of this voice, he was familiar with. As the room twist and turn and starts to melt, the sound comes in full force, dulling the other sounds that filled the room.

"Lincy...Lincy….Lincy…."

"Lincy!"

Lincoln snaps out of it and shook his head. The room is normal. Everything was moving and it was still raining outside from where he stood as he looked to the world from the window. He turns his head to Lily, who looked like she was going to burst into tears.

"You're crying…" she said as she pointed to his face.

Lincoln puts his finger to his right eyes. He was flowing with tears. Lincoln looked to Lily again, thinking this episode may have scared her a tad too much. Before Lily could cry, Lincoln puts his hand up.

"No, no, no, no! I-It's okay, Lily! Don't cry! Big brother is going to take his medicine now, okay?" he pleaded.

Lincoln digged in his pocket and pulls out a plastic camera film capsule. He pops the lip and holds it in his fingers and take the capsule to the head, swallowing what looked to be a pill pair. He puts the lid back on with the fingers of his free hand and puts the capsule back in his pocket.

"See? I-It's okay. I'm going to be okay…" Lincoln assured her.

"Promise..?" Lily said with a weak sniff.

Lincoln puts his hand to his chest.

"Pinkie promise" Lincoln said with a smile.

Lily slowly smiled and did a pinkie promise with him, thus calming her down.

Lincoln sighed to himself before a voice breaks the silence.

"Oh, Lincy!" said a cheery sing-songy voice from the kitchen.

"Is….that Leni?" Lincoln thought to himself.

"Aren't you going to say hello to me, child?" asked the voice that sounded like Leni.

"Child…?" said Lincoln softly to himself.

Lincoln pressed Lily close and walks slowly towards the kitchen. Before he stepped foot pass the threshold of the kitchen, he stops at the base of the stairs. A voice caught his ear. Not a voice that he heard in his episode, but...a beautiful one. It came from up the stairs.

'' _Là-bas renaît lentement l'arc-en-ciel._

 _Pareil à notre amour ardent et presque irréel_

 _vers lui je voudrais partir avec vous_

 _car tout y parait plus charmant plus clair et plus doux..._ "

Lincoln sighs and slowly walks into the kitchen, not so ready to meet Leni.


	4. Homecoming (Pt 2)

Lincoln stood only a few steps into the kitchen with Lily in hand before looking around the room. During his walk in there, he noticed he had walked through a completely dark dining room. The light from the living room shined through the walkway and illuminated the dining room enough to show there was nothing really of interest. He looks around the kitchen, hoping to find something a little bit out of place to give him some kind of comfort-some sense that things are still in drastic need of intervention to no avail. He sighs, looks about and freezes with Lily.

At the sink, there was the back of a curvy woman. The lady looked very like...his mother. The frame, the build along with pink shirt with a white collar and cuffs, and purple pants. He takes his first step and the woman turns around quickly.

"My child!" said the lady sweetly.

Lincoln grows a ghostly white. The woman that stood before him...was Leni. Dressed like his mother stitch by stitch. Leni makes a full turn showing a frontal view. The woman that stood before Lincoln was indeed his sister with the added appeal of looking like his mother. She wore what looked like their mother's attire but also appeared to be of different brands and seemed to lack the make up his mother would often wear. Her hair was cut shorter and she didn't seem to have her trademark sunglasses with her. Another off putting element to how her appearance was how thick Leni's body was. Lincoln looked her up and down and took a long notice on that. She wasn't fat or skinny, but seem to have a more filling frame with a fair set of hips. Along with her appearance, she was wearing a set of generic floral patterned oven mitts.

Lincoln just stares at Leni. Leni cuffed her mitt covered hands toward her chest and stared happily at Lincoln. He was beyond weirded out at this point but knew that since he'll be staying here, there's no point to be bitter. He knows something is up but feels like he won't get anywhere if he doesn't play along. So, though uncomfortable, he flashes her a wide smile.

"H-Hi, Leni…" Lincoln said sheepishly.

Leni walks to Lincoln and holds him close, giving him and Lily a welcoming hug.

"Oh, my child!" said Leni sweetly. "It's so good to have you home again."

Lincoln embraces the hug with guarded optimism while the embrace actually cause Lily to shiver.

"Oh, dear!" said Leni in a motherly fashion towards Lily. "Are you cold?"

Lincoln looked to Lily in his arms who just stared at Leni. She smiles warming at Lily, causing the child to oddly enough crack a smile. Lincoln found this strange considering how openingly hostile she's been to the other sisters. Before long, Lily gave Leni a shy wave, making Leni's smile brighter.

"She's so adorable!" said Leni as she did her best wave while keeping on the oven mitts.

Lincoln is still finding it hard to find something to say. He wanted to know why Leni was dressed like that. However, he was finding a way to bring it up without coming off as rude.

"Hey, Leni-" Lincoln started.

"Oh, dear child…" said Leni softly as she rest her mitten cover hand on his shoulder. "Just call me mom."

Lincoln's body grows cold after Leni said that. The boy started to comb at his neck as if he was struggling to breathe for a second.

"Uh...what was that?" asked Lincoln.

After his statement, a beeping is heard. Leni looks towards the stove and noticed the timer was going off. She turns her attention to the stove, leaving Lincoln to marinate of the title. 'Mom'. The fact she wished to be called that was chilling enough but also not mentally sound. Leni was ditsy before, but even a common airhead like her should know that sounded wrong out loud.

"Mom?" asked Lily to Lincoln as if she was asking for confirmation.

Lincoln didn't know how to respond to Lily so he spaced out so a second before Lily turns her head to the left of them. She pats on Lincoln's cheek and pointed to the table in the kitchen. Lincoln followed her pointing to see a few guest were there with them. It was Lucy and Luna.

Luna was in what looked to be lounge clothes. Black t-shirt with a band name on it, in a font too complex to make out. She had on some dark purple plaid sweatpants, black socks, her normal paper clip earrings, and a set of fingerless gloves, showing her black fingernails. Lucy sat across from Luna. She wore a thick and large turtleneck sweater with a neck fold of the sweater over her mouth. She wore a set of pants that mirrored her socks with the black and white stripe scheme along with some all black sneakers. She also wore a set of fingerless gloves, only her nails were painted white.

Lincoln looks to Leni, who stood by the stove for a moment as she hummed to herself. He turns his head back to the girls at the table and walked over to them, pulling up a chair and sitting down between them. Lincoln drews up the best forced smile he could, hoping to pass it off as something legitimate. Lily, however, made no effort at smiling at these strangers and looked away. Luna gives a calm smile.

"Greets, dear brother" she started. "Welcome back."

Lincoln nods a bit, trying to keep that smile and looking pass how odd it was to hear Luna say something so formal in such a calm manner.

"Thanks, Luna. I-It's gre...well, guess its a comeback, if anything" Lincoln said.

Luna chuckles.

"I get it" she said honestly. "I know things are a tad weird, having to come back to us. But hey-we're better then how we were before."

"Yeeaah…." said Lincoln as he shook his head. "Actually, I'm a little confused."

Luna looks at him calmly.

"About what?" she asked honestly.

Lincoln stares at her with a dumb expression.

"Are...are you serious?" asked Lincoln.

Luna just gave him a lost look. He sighs.

"Okay...I'll dance…" he said before clearing his throat. "Like, what is going on with Lori? When has she been religious? And why are the twins speaking French of all things? Why are there voices and talking crows and-" Lincoln rambled.

"Whoa, whoa…" said Luna, gesturing Lincoln to calm down. "You're seeing things. I mean, talking crows? Voices? What are you talking about?"

Lincoln freezes for a second and remembered that they don't know about his illness. He sighs and pushes it to the side for a moment. He drums up another point.

"Also, why are the twins so jumpy? They seemed...I dunno, sad...scared.." Lincoln said.

 ***SLAM***

Lincoln jolts and Luna quakes at the loud slamming of the oven door as Leni stood afar, completely straight and not looking at them. She takes a slow breathe and in a cheery, but dulled tone, she speaks.

"The children...seemed unhappy to you, my child?" asked Leni slowly.

Lincoln got silent, thinking he may have said something bad.

"I tried to tell them...to behave while you're here. I know you'd be very unsure about us. I told them to behave…" she resumes.

Lincoln is frightened by sudden shift in tone and looks to Luna. Luna is just staring at Lincoln calmly. Smiling. Lincoln was taken aback by that. Luna turns her head to stare at Leni while Lincoln feels a jolt to his side. Lily pointed to the right. It was Lucy trying to give Lincoln something under the table. Lincoln pegged this as something private and quietly reached under the table to grab it. It was a piece of paper. Lincoln slowly looks down to see what it says.

"Don't make her upset-try to reel it back."

Lincoln slowly looks up at Lucy. She sat there blank.

"Who was it, Lincoln? Was it Lola?" Leni asked in an unsettling calmness.

Lincoln quickly thinks of something.

"Uh, no. I-It's not either of them. They didn't do anything.." Lincoln tried to assure her.

Leni sighs and chuckles a bit.

"My sweet, sweet Lincy…" Leni says.

"Oh, that doesn't sound good at all…" Lincoln thought to himself.

Leni turns and walks over to him at the table. Luna looked away and Lucy looked downward. Lincoln took noticed of their change in view but he knew looking elsewhere would come off as an unwanted tip. He sighs and keeps pushing the narrative he wanted to push.

"No, Leni. I'm serious. It's not their fault…" Lincoln tries to assure her.

Leni rubs his head.

"Are you sure? I can make them behave-" Leni tried to resumed.

"It's fine. I'm just...nervous…" said Lincoln quickly.

Lily hugs onto Lincoln. Leni kneels down next to Lincoln.

"Why are you nervous, dear?" asked Leni.

"U-Uh…" Lincoln said, drumming up a lie.

"Ain't it obvious?" asked Luna.

Leni looks to Luna. Leni sighs.

"Lincoln, you still don't trust us?" asked Leni.

Lincoln groans.

"It's just...things are...very different here...and I'm still very skeptical" Lincoln said.

Lincoln stares at Leni for a bit. Leni pets at Lincoln's long hair and sighs.

"I understand. I know you didn't get the best welcome last time and some of us have done some bad things to you...but I promise-we are changed people. Nice, sweet, changed people." Leni stated.

Lincoln looked around and stared at Luna for a moment. Luna seemed to nod with a smile, making seem like Leni was being honest. Lincoln smiled a bit before turning his sight to Lucy. Lucy was blank and stiff. However, she seemed to be shrugging. Only with her left shoulder. Lincoln slowly crept his eyes to the back doors behind Lucy's chair. He starts holding his sights until the faint voices of screaming and crying is heard within his mind.

"Dear brother?" asked Luna.

Lincoln turns to her.

"Hey, did you hear that?" asked Lincoln, acting a part.

"What?" asked Leni.

"That noise. Sounding like something fell-in the basement" Lincoln said, clearly testing the waters of his gambit.

Leni got tense, as did Luna.

"It...must be the the gas leak down there…" Leni said. "Lisa was doing some kind of…"

"Experiment…" Luna added on.

"And caused a few things to go bad down there. So, it's locked up. Don't try to mess with the basement, okay? Everything you need is up here."

"Okkkkaaaay…" said Lincoln slowly. "But if it's locked up, why is there noises down-"

"Say, Linc!" Luna butts in. "How about you join me tomorrow in picking up Lynn?"

Lincoln's eyes widen. He didn't think he'd be able to go see her. However, he looked at Lily, who seemed rather excited to see Lynn.

"Oh! U-Uh, okay. Sure, I'll ride with you" Lincoln answered.

Leni sighs and looks at Lincoln.

"How about this? It'll be awhile until it's time to eat. Why don't you take Lily upstairs and take a nap? We'll come get you when it's time" Leni suggested.

Lincoln wasn't sure why the sudden change for everything within this conversation. However, after dealing with the weirdness of the twins and weird patchiness of the ones in the kitchen, he would much rather take a nap in the safety of his room.

"Okay. Thanks, Leni-" Lincoln started.

"Call me mom" Leni answered quickly.

Lincoln stops in his talking.

"But, why would I-" he started.

Leni strokes his hair with her over mitt and inhales sharply.

"Call me mom, my child…" Leni nearly commanded.

Before Lincoln can question it, he feels a light tap against his leg. He didn't have to look at her to know it was Lucy for some reason signaling him. He holds Lily close.

"T-Thanks…'mom'..." Lincoln said with a hushed delivery.

Leni quickly hugs him tightly, glad to hear the title coming from him. She gives him a quick peck on the head and returns to the stove. Lincoln hopes out of his chair with Lily. Before he was able to make a break for the doorway, he is approached by Lucy, who hoped off the chair and hugged him. Lincoln found it odd how she never spoke a word to him, but before he can ask her anything about the silence, she shoves her hand into the front of Lincoln's hoodie pocket. A light sound of balled paper is heard in her palm. She quickly does an about face and returned to her seat. Lincoln turns out and walks into the dark dining room and back to the stairs. He starts walking up with Lily before he hears a voice at the bottom.

"Hey" said the voice.

He turns around to see it was Luna.

"Uh...hey..." Lincoln said.

"I know things are different, Lincoln. I know you're confused. But trust me when I say...things will be different but that's okay…" Luna said with a smile.

Lincoln sighs.

"Luna...I feel like you guys are still hiding things from me…" said Lincoln.

Luna sighs and looks away.

"Just….don't go snooping around...just work with us…" said Luna. "We really, really change a lot for you, bro…"

* * *

Lincoln sighs and walks up the steps, leaving Luna back down the stairs alone. Lincoln just wanted to be alone with his sister and nothing more. He was already ready to check out of this place, giving all the weirdness already. The basement story didn't add up, everyone is acting too strange and dressed so oddly. Everything has changed indeed, but rather it's for the good is layered under a thick slab of unknown. He drags himself and Lily to the room. He stops at the door to notice something. The music he heard before was gone. However, the boy didn't want to focus on it. He walks into the room and locks it behind him.

Lincoln lays Lily on his bed and kisses her head.

"Just lay down for a few hours, okay?" Lincoln asked softly.

Lily nods and starts to close her eyes.

Lincoln kicks off his shoes and sighs. He digs in his pockets to pull out his wallet, a few sticks of gum, his cellphone and a lighter. Lincoln lifts the back of his hoodie and pulls out an odd object: a gun. A .38 Colt revolver. Snub nose. He sighs and slips the gun between the mattress of his bed tightly while laying against the bed and tried to sleep. As his eyes began to close, he heard a rattling.

He opens his eyes to see the door knob was turning. But because it was locked, it wouldn't properly turn. However, there was a sound-a faint sound of metal grinding against metal. It was a key. Lincoln, growing rather unsure, digs his hand back into the fold of the mattress and grips the handle of the gun and pulls it closely towards him slowly.

"Hello? Who's there?" he asked, noting it as a warning.

There was silence.

The sounds of footsteps are heard walking away from the door and walking down stairs are noted and Lincoln sighs, letting go of the gun handle as he shoves his hands into his pocket. There was a crumbling. He remembered now: Lucy slipped him something. He digs inside of his pocket and pulls out the wadded paper and spread it out in order to read it.

He turns pale and his eyes began to water.

In all caps, the note read in black ink, over and over again was:

DON'T TRUST US.

Lincoln stuffs the paper back into the pocket and shakes on the floor, wide awake and guarding his sister.


	5. Homecoming (Pt 3)

It was about 5 PM and the storm that was brewing hours before resulted in only a minor drizzle over the sleepy town. As the rain outside soak the earth and the sky grows dimmer. Lincoln sat on the the floor next to the the bed, staring at the chilling note Lucy gave him that he took out of his pocket. Lincoln had his suspicions about coming home from the jump, but just in the first few hours, his sisters are leaving an awful first impression. He couldn't help but think that this was all just going to play out like it did last time; no progress was made here. Now, poor Lily is thrown into the fray. Lincoln, stressed and head pounding along the ivory walls of his skull. So many thoughts going through his head running at speeds near a thousand miles per hour. He couldn't bare the pressuring thought of having Lily here with him. He wasn't sure what to think of his sisters, but knew there's still something going on.

If it's not his sisters, he's worried about his episodes.

The episodes have been happening not too long after leaving the house over a year ago. Under the loving guidance from his father and the genuine concern from his stepmother, he attended therapy. He'd go in, talk about his experience, talk about his stress and his depression and so on. And he'd do it every Tuesday and Thursday. Week after week, the same two days. Life with his father seemed to be a positive on him for a short while. However, Lincoln recalls when it started to shift. It wasn't subtle, this shift-a complete change on his part. One evening during dinner, Lincoln's father and stepmother get into a harsh argument. Lincoln remember just how loud and venomous it was and how frightened Lily looked. The yelling. The tone. The feeling of helplessness. It crept and cut into him like the yellow eyes of the nonvisible beast that appeared in the darkness corners of one's dreams. The eyes of his fear; his fear of failure and shame. His fear then was more than just mere atychiphobia and turned itself into a harsh toxin on his mentality, eating away at his sanity. The shouting just made him remember that one phone call he had with his mom-the call that seemed like the beginning of the end. Just like before, he had no hand in stopping it.

Lincoln remembers voices from various places and then darkness. When he woke up, he was in a bathtub full of water as the ripples and bubbles in the tub danced over the surface excitedly once a pair of hands dipped in and yank him out of the tub and laying him on the wet bathroom floor. Lincoln remembered being dazed and confused, not sure how he even got in the tub to begin with. He also recalled looking at the doorway of the bathroom to see his stepmother and Lily cry their eyes out at him with the most horrified expressions. Lincoln looked towards the tub to see his father, damp sleeves and all, look at him with a wading face as he fights the desire to burst into tears himself.

Lincoln had something, but for some reason, he couldn't remember the term for it at the moment. He believes the therapist called it something along the lines of "grandiose delusions", but he wasn't sure. He just knew after that, he was told to take a monitored set of meds along with some mood stabilizers to balance him out without making him seem like a mindless zombie. However, the therapist also said if these episode progress onward, there was a chance Lincoln may have to…

Lincoln shook the thought and groaned.

He wanted this. He hated how his mind was now. He hated he let it get this bad. He hated that Lily had to watch. The realization that someone with a deteriorating mind like him has to be the protector of a young girl with a developing one. He just sighs to himself as the room gets increasingly darker as the day dies and the night is crowning. He stares off into space and thinks of Lynn for a second. How she was. How she felt about getting out tomorrow. If she was going to live up to those promises she made when she was inside. As his mind wanders, he started to get happy. Maybe that there was a sense of hope at the end of all this. Though, that progressing thought derails as the sound of yawning is heard behind him. Lily was beginning to wake up. He sighs and turns her head and freezes up. He looks at his head to see his snub nose was in his palm, barrel opened with bullets on the floor, but one in the chamber. Lincoln starts to breath heavily, thinking he was so spaced out in his grim nostalgia, that he had almost did something awful to not only himself, but Lily. As the bed began to squeak and the slick sounds of the cover moves on top of the bed, Lincoln quickly pulls all the bullets back in the chamber bit by bit and closes the barrel. He tried to slip it back into the fold of the mattress, but before he sound, a drowsy Lily, rubbing her eyes, called for him.

"Lincy?" Lily called.

Lincoln panicked, thinking Lily would look over the edge of the bed and catch him in the act, quickly slips his firearm in the front pocket on his hoodie and takes a controlled breath.

"Yes, Lily-bug?" answered Lincoln sweetly, masking his suffering.

"I'm hungry…" Lily nearly whined.

"So am I…" Lincoln lied.

After dealing with Leni's...motherly styles in the kitchen, he has withdrawn his appetite for a good week or two.

Lincoln gets to his feet and hears a knock at the door.

"Hello? Are my darlings awake?" sound a sweet voice.

Lincoln didn't have to think too hard to know it was Leni.

"Y-Yeah, Leni-we're up" Lincoln said calmly.

"Call me mom, dear" Leni said sweetly from the other side of the door.

Lincoln groaned.

"I forgot-sorry" Lincoln said flatly.

"It's okay. Now hurry down-everyone is waiting" she said.

Lincoln remember something.

"Hey, Len-I mean,..mom" Lincoln started.

"Yes, child?" Leni answered.

"Uhh...did you..try to come in here earlier? While we tried to sleep?" he asked with worry.

There was a silence.

The faint sound of footsteps walking away from the door are heard and it was at that moment, Lincoln had his answer without having to hear it come from her at all. Lincoln sighs and patted the gun resting in his pocket and looks to his sister, still half wake.

"Let's get something to eat, kid" Lincoln said with a forced smile, trying to make an effort to showcase everything was okay.

The two makes their way the hallway and to the stairs, slowly walking down them to notice the entire house is dark. However, there was a strange alluring orange light coming from the dining room. Lily quickly holds on to Lincoln's hand, shaking in fear of the lack of light. Lincoln slowly makes his way down the stairs with her into the dining room. They both freeze.

* * *

All the sister are in attendance. They were all staring at them at the doorway. The whole room for some reason was all by an unsettling candle light arrangement.

Coming from the cold, dark kitchen was Leni. She stood a few steps away from the two and smile brightly. The outer dark space of the room marked with darkness dancing with the colors of the flames from the candles, making the scene look like something from a hellish video game cutscene that Lincoln was no stranger to. He and Lily stare at Leni, her sweet smile clashing with the ghastly setting. Without staying a word, Leni points to the end of the table, where their mother and father used to sit, to show where they will be sitting. Before they can turn and speed walk to their chairs, Leni stops Lincoln. She kneels down and leans in close, mere inches from his face. Lincoln began to shake and and bead with sweet. Leni simply moves in and kisses him on the forehead and pats his head. Ignoring that unsettling exchange, Lincoln takes Lily and speed walks to their chairs. He makes sure Lily and pulled closely to him and he takes his seat and looks down the table. From where he sat to his right, it was Lucy, Luna and Lana. To Lily's left, it was Leni, Lori and Lola. Lisa sat at the very end of the table, straight across from the two. Next to Lisa, there were two open chairs. Lincoln looked at the chairs for a moment and realized. One chair was clearly open to Lynn and the other was for...Luan. Lincoln found it odd she hasn't made herself known to him all day, seeing how everyone else piled him. He turned his attention to the food on the his plate.

Oddly enough, it was the only thing pleasant here.

On the the plate was a beautifully salmon with a soy sauce and brown sugar glaze, a perfect cut of of lamb ragu lasagna, a fresh cut of buttered garlic bread with a mozzarella sprinkle. Everyone had a cup of water.

Lincoln looks around the table and flashes a smile.

Lisa stand in her chair and clears her throat.

"My Loud family. It is with great honor to welcome back our lost family, Lincoln and Lily!" Lisa announced.

"Welcome home, Lincoln and Lily!" everyone said in unison.

Lincoln and Lily looked at one another. Without saying a word, the two came to a proper understanding: That was creepy.

Lisa resumes.

"May we take this moment to show our vic-condolences to the loss of our Father with the highest respect. And may we help you in this trying times. With that said, let us say that you belong here...with us!"

"Amen!" the others said in unison.

Lily began to shake.

"...The hell was that?" Lincoln thought to himself.

Lisa, for some reason, keeps going.

"Lana and Lola with me share a verses they learned. If you are willing to hear them?" asked Lisa pleasantly.

"No" Lincoln thought to himself.

"Sure…" he actually ended up saying.

Lisa takes a seat and Lola clears her throat as she pulls out a thick orange book. The book clearly looked like an unmarked Bible.

"Donc, que vous mangiez ou buviez, ou tout ce que vous faites, faites tout pour la gloire du fils capricieux…" Lola said.

Lincoln wasn't shocked she said it in French, but he was uneasy because something about the way she said it didn't seem right.

Lisa smiles and nods.

"Now you, Lana" she asked.

Lana pulls out a bible that looked just like her twin's, only lightly tattered. She clears her throat.

"L'envie, l'ivrognerie, les orgies, et des choses comme celles-ci. Je vous préviens, comme je vous l'ai déjà dit, que ceux qui font de telles choses n'hériteront pas le royaume du fils égaré. Mais le fruit de l'Esprit est l'amour, la joie, la paix, la patience, la bonté, la bonté, la fidélité et les instructions de ses disciples choisis ..."

Then everyone clapped.

Before Lincoln can ask for any form of translation, Lisa taps her fingers three times on the table. Luna stands up. Everyone closes their eyes, as if they were about the pray. Lilly, scared and lost, closed her eyes as well. Lincoln did so as well, but keeping them slightly cracked. As that happened, he feels a light kick on his leg from the right. It was Lucy. She slips a folded piece of paper under the table to Lincoln's side as Luna prepares. Lincoln quickly snags it and puts it in his pocket. Luna began her prayer.

" 'Come. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food. When I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.' "

But the people asked, when Lord did we see you hungry and feed you?

Or sick or in prison and come to you? and the king answered:

'In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren

You have done it unto me…'"

"Amen" everyone said.

Lincoln was taken aback. That was more of a story than an actual prayer. Even as a story, it's so out there, the meaning is lost among the current situation. Not the mention, the unsettling light in the room made everything worst.

Everyone started to eat, but Lincoln studied Lisa. She looked like her normal self, just with a black sweater. However, she was the only one of the flock who wasn't wearing gloves.

Lincoln figured with everyone here, he should ask.

"So, what's up with the glove thing?" he asked.

They all looked to him and giggled.

"It's cold in here, dear brother" Lori answered.

"It's normal if the air get's chilling, dear" Leni answered sweetly.

Lincoln wasn't buying it.

"Then, why isn't Lisa wearing any?" asked Lincoln.

"Maybe I'm not cold...dear brother" Lisa answered calmly with a smile.

"God...damn it…" Lincoln thought to himself.

Lincoln looks to Lori and sighs.

"Lincoln, my dear brother…" Lori starts.

Lincoln is thrown off.

"Uh, yeah?" he replies.

"The ride home was fun. It's amazing to have you home" Lori said with a smile.

"Fun..?" asked Lincoln.

Lori nods.

Lincoln wasn't sure what 'fun' ride Lori was talking about. The ride he had back home was weird, uncomfortable and had him fall into an episode. But Lincoln decides to play along.

"Yeah, sure it was" he said plainly. "Sorry about Lily."

"What do you mean?" asked a surprised Lori.

"You know, when you tried to pick her up and she didn't want you to…" Lincoln said out slowly.

Lori giggles.

"I'm sorry, dear Lincoln-I don't recall that at all" Lori answers as she takes a sip of whatever.

Lincoln was...at sixes and sevens. Honestly perplexed. It was like Lori was ignoring what happened all together. Wish is odd, because Lori would usually always let someone know they angered her or hurt her. Lincoln wanted to just mark it as Lori being...her refreshed self. However, something tells him it's something else.

He was going to speak to Leni for a moment when he can hear the twins. Lola and Lana were talking to each other in French. Lincoln couldn't tell if it was a serious conversation or they were just showing off. Lincoln looks away from them but listens hard, hoping to catch the conversation seeing how they were hushed.

"Je ne pense pas qu'il puisse nous entendre …" Lola says softly to Lana.

"Même s'il le pouvait, il ne pouvait pas nous comprendre, Lola" Lana replied.

"Lana, je ne sais pas combien de temps je peux continuer…" Lola said to her sister in a distressing tone. "Ce n'est pas un secret, il sait que quelque chose ne va pas"

Lana sighs.

"C'est seulement une question avant que nous ne soyons traités de nouveau ... au moins ce n'est pas une punition cette fois.." Lana said.

"Mais nous ne sommes pas ... nous-mêmes ... après le traitement …" Lola replied.

"Peu importe. Je peux sentir le truc dans la nourriture. Ils vont nous traiter par tous les moyens.." Lana answer.

Lola sighed and eat her food along with Lana.

Lincoln had no idea how to decode such a rich language. Not to mention just how annoyed he was listening and feeling as if he was being purposely boxed out of knowing anything. He groans, feeling a slight headache creeping up on him. Leni takes note of his distress and speaks out.

"Lincoln, dear…" Leni starts. "What's the matter? You and Lily barely touched your food."

Lincoln looks to Lily for a second to see she was playing around with her food. He looks back to his plate.

"Sorry...my head has been aching, is all" Lincoln stated.

Leni gives an understanding smile.

Lincoln remembered something.

"So, how's Bobby been?" Lincoln asked.

Silence.

"Who?" Leni asked.

"You know-Bobby. Ronnie Anne's brother. You guy were dating the last time I was-" Lincoln stated.

Leni giggles.

"Lincoln, I don't know a Bobby. Such a silly name" Leni said.

Lincoln was weirded out.

"Uh, Lori. You knew Bobby...right?" he asked.

"Who?" answer Lori in a confused tone.

Lincoln grew pale.

Lily scoots her plate away from her. Lincoln, still rattled but concerned.

"W-What's wrong, Lily?" asked Lincoln.

"My food smells funny...I'm not hungry…" said Lily, clearly grumpy.

Lincoln was about to smell the food until Lucy kicked his leg. Lincoln shoot back up. Lucy just stared at him, not moving. At this point, without a doubt, Lucy is the only person who's trying to help him understand what's going on without speaking. Lincoln is now very curious.

"Hey Lucy…" he started softly.

Lucy lifts her hand to her color and was about to lower her turtleneck to speak.

"Sorry, dear bro" Luna butted in with a smile. "Lucy has a bad case of strep. She can't really talk. Ain't that right, Lucy?"

Lucy slowly brings her hand down and nods.

Lincoln wasn't okay with Luna's butting in. It came off too defensive. Lincoln wanted to weigh on just how wrong everything is.

"Where is Luan?" Asked Lincoln plainly.

Lisa takes a sip of water and then looks to Lincoln.

"She's out at a therapy session. She still has that...issue. So she still has to see her therapist for that" Lisa said.

Not too long after she said that, a loud noise is heard in a muffled session of the house. Everyone pretended to ignore it, but fail seeing how the noise caused Leni to tense up, both Lori and Lisa to freeze as they were eating and Lola to whince. Lincoln decides, know most likely to be fruitless, to call it out.

"So, what was that noise?" asked Lincoln.

Luna clears her throat and answers.

"Must be coming from the basement. We do have that pipe issue" Luna answered.

"That must be it" Lori answered.

"A busted pipe?..." Lincoln asked.

"I told you earlier, remem-" started Luna.

"Gas leak" Lincoln said bluntly.

"H-Huh?" said Luna.

"You said there was a gas leak. You didn't say anything about pipes…" Lincoln said bluntly once again

Silence. Lincoln has had enough. So, he needs to make a gambit.

"Look, I'm sorry. I-I'm a tad anxious today. With the move and dad dying and stuff, I just been...I need to take a walk.." Lincoln played up.

Everyone at the eerily lit table didn't question his comment. They all looked at one another in total agreement as if he just spoke a divine truth-pitch the most precious of gospels.

"We understand, but isn't a tad too dark for you to-" started Lori.

Leni quickly back hands Lori on the base of her nose, knuckles hitting the bone; filling the room with a loud smack.

"Sorry, dear, You had a bug there. Also, Lincoln may leave if he likes" Leni said cheerfully.

Lincoln saw that none of the others even moved an inch. But he did noticed Lucy sniffled. He looks to Lori to notice her nose was dripping blood, showing that Leni hit her hard

Leni looks to Lincoln.

"If you want, I can look after sweet, little Lily for you…" Leni said sweetly.

Lily moved closely to Lincoln, obviously now afraid of Leni. Lincoln panics but drums up an idea.

"A-Actually, I was hoping to have...uh..Lucy watch her. I think they should spend the time together, you know?" Lincoln said.

Luna scoffs.

"But dear bro, she's ill and can't-" Luna started.

"Were you going to deny him his wish…?" asked Leni.

Luna got dead quiet. Lincoln moves from the table and motions Lily to go to Lucy. Lily walks over to Lucy slowly. Lucy picks her up and holds her close. The little girl oddly enough took an immediate liking to the dark girl. Lincoln motions the food away and walks from the dining room.

"Lucy, just hang in my room with Lily til I get back. I'm just going to clear my head...a-and also, lock my door when I go in there…" Lincoln said.

Lucy nods.

"Bye-bye, Lincy!" said Lily sweetly as she waves.

Lincoln gives a quick little wave and walks.

* * *

On Canal Street, Lincoln sits on a plastic milk crate on a strip of land where people can stand as he watches the water below pass through to the mix. He sits on the crate, staring off into space. The house is very strange and he knew that going in; the caliber to how strange, he wasn't prepared for. Why is Lori acting strange? Where was Luan? Why did they pretend to not know Bobby? Why the gloves? Why wasn't Lisa wearing any? Why did Luna lie to him? There were so many why this and why that going on at home. However, Lincoln wasn't done yet. He digs into his hoodie pocket and feel for the paper Lucy pass him and takes it out. He irons it out it and reads it. This note, however, looked like she had more time to write.

* * *

 _"Dear Lincoln,_

 _if you are reading this, it means I was in control when I wrote this. I'll make this quick. Everything here is a lie. Don't trust everything and watch out for strange noises and stuff happening. I just want you to know right here and now that there's a good chance that tomorrow when you see me, I won't be the same. The treatments have been messing with my mind and I can't remember certain things but here's what I can tell you._

 _DON'T go in the basement. DON'T go in the garage. DON'T go into the attic. I know you'll most likely ignore my warnings, but trust me-just stay away from there. DON'T make Leni upset. There's a sister that's always listening but..I can't remember who because of the treatment. Make sure the twins are okay. Also, keep your eyes on Lily at all times. Trust me. Lynn will be back tomorrow so get to her before she get's to her. As a safety measure, I locked up your vent in a way only you can open them. Just in case..._

 _Don't ask too many questions...that's all I can remember. I love you. Just just the real me would never hurt you._

 _-Lucy"_

* * *

Lincoln shakes and folds the paper up. He takes out a light and flicks the wheel, puts it to the paper and set it ablaze. As the letter begins to burn, he takes out a cigarette and lights the tip of it before bringing it to his lips. The now frightened boy sits the letter on the ground and watches it burn away, dreading having to return to the house. The wondered if he should go back at all. He drags on the cig and pats the gun in his front pocket. He thought it would be easy. He almost did it a few times and he wasn't even in his right mind then he almost did it. Maybe now since he was in control, he could do it. He didn't want to leave this way, but he just was tired of the voices and the episodes. He was scared of the shapes. He was afraid of going back.

He digs his hand into the pocket of his hoodie and grips the handle of the gun.

"Dork face?" said a voice behind him.

He stops. He slowly turns his head to see her.

It was Ronnie Anne.

"What are you doing here?" Ronnie Anne asked.

A bit of ash falls from the cig.

"I think I should be asking you the same thing…" he replied.


	6. Bird in the Trap

The day begins to die as the sky's light begins to flicker and dim behind the dreadful grey clouds above. The two stared at one another, lost of what to say seeing how the last time they saw each other officially, Ronnie Anne was being carried away on a stretcher from feeling her own blade after her tangle with Lynn. The two broke each other's sight and began to look anywhere but at one another. With the sounds of rushing water and distant car horns honking from the far out streets, the two started to laugh anxiously at this amazingly awkward moment. As Ronnie Anne looked to her left, Lincoln quickly examines her. The girl looked...different. Her hair obviously has gotten longer and was fashioned into the cute ponytail he remembered. She seemed to be slightly more fit, like she's been going to the gym everyday. Lincoln looks at her to notice that not too much about her has changed, but something about her being there-her current appearance-seemed to ease his mind.

Ronnie Anne looks back to him and her eyes bucked.

Lincoln darted his eyes to the left to see another idle milk crate sitting along the chainlink fence saying a word, a very hesitant Lincoln points to the crate nearing the fence. Ronnie Anne looks to where he was pointing and without a word but with a pause, stiffly walks over to the crate to retrieve it. She sits the crate right next to Lincoln and sat down, looking too ashamed to look at him. Lincoln can feel the tense air and shaking ground between them and takes a drag of his cigarette, not sure what else to say. Ronnie Anne just stared at the ground, holding her arm as someone nervous would do. Lincoln stops smoking for a second and sighs heavily, releasing a thin cloud of smoke as he exhaled. He lifted up his finger and left his mouth ajar, as if he was going to say something, but quickly back tracks on it and keeps his mouth shut.

Some time passed. What seemed like a long, dragging eternity was only about ten minutes of uninterrupted silence. The tone was very uncomfortable for the both of them. Trading looks back and forth, not willing to say anything. Like a couple of grade school children who like each other but too scared to pass a Do-You-Like-Me chart to each other, fearing the worst possible outcome. Lincoln weighed how he'd approach this, seeing how he doesn't know how he feels about Ronnie Anne at the moment, remembering all the misery she had put his family through last time he was away. However, he thought maybe she was like Lynn now-on the road to rehabilitation. That and he has no idea just how long she's been out on the street, seeing how her and Lynn were sentenced to the same amount of time. Not only that, but maybe she knew what happened with Bobby and Leni. The one thing he knew for sure is that she must know what is wrong with Lucy.

So, thinking he'd might get somewhere, he takes out another cigarette and hands it to Ronnie Anne. The girl stared at it and paused. She rubbed her hand, not sure rather to take it or not, but soon buckles to the pressure of the situation and takes it. She puts it to her mouth and gestures to Lincoln she needed a light. Lincoln pulls out a lighter and lits the tip of it. Ronnie Anne takes a drag and exhales.

"Aren't you a gentleman" Ronnie Anne attempted to joke.

"A real gentleman wouldn't give a girl a cigarette" Lincoln said in jest.

The two chuckled and sighed heavily, feeling better they said something.

"If that wasn't the most awkward of silences I've ever been in…" Ronnie Anne said.

Lincoln thinks about all the different things and silence moments he had back at home, under the'caring' eyes of his sisters. He shakes the thought and clears his throat.

"I-I had worst…" Lincoln said in a false bravado.

Ronnie Anne laughed and ruffled Lincoln's hair a bit.

"Geez, dork face…" Ronnie Anne started. "What are ya doing-rocking the Jesus look?"

Lincoln sighs but takes it in stride.

"I could ask you the same. Your ponytail seems a lot longer than the last time I saw it, wouldn't you think?" Lincoln mocked.

Ronnie Anne folds her arms up after letting Lincoln's hair alone.

"S-So I grew my hair. So what?" Ronnie Anne said defensively.

"Same ol' Ronnie. You can dish it out, but you can't take it, huh?" Lincoln said with a smile.

Ronnie Anne began to lightly blush and darts her eyes away from Lincoln and take a drag from her cigarette and exhales. The both grow silent once again, much to both of their dismay. Not wanting to fall back into a point where nothing is being said, Lincoln figured he's ask a few of the questions that he had. Though, thinking on it further, realized some of the questions might be a tad much for Ronnie Anne to answer, rather them being too personal or her not knowing anything at all. Either way, he decided to ease her into the topics.

"So, what brings you here?" Lincoln asked calmly.

Ronnie Anne looks to him.

"Just out and about...needed to clear my head…" Ronnie Anne said as she ashes her cigarette onto the wet ground. "You?"

"About the same. Nothing but a calm walk in the chilling rain to clear my thoughts" Lincoln joked.

"Running away from your problems too, huh?" Ronnie Anne said with a sly giggle.

Lincoln catches that.

"Are you...running from your problems?" asked Lincoln.

Ronnie Anne pauses and then sighs heavily, realizing she let something she wasn't meaning to say slip and has to answer for it.

"Well…sorta…" Ronnie Anne admitted.

"Wanna talk about it?" asked Lincoln.

The two threw their finished cigs on the wet ground and Lincoln lights a two new ones up for the two of them. The two takes a few puffs and Ronnie Anne gears herself as she was about to lay down an epic.

"Wondering why I'm out so early?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Lincoln nodded.

"Well, before I get into that, lemme say this…" Ronnie Anne started. "Linc, I dunno what it was like at that academy you had to go to, but lemme tell you, it's nothing compare to juvi. I seen a lot…" Ronnie Anne said coldly.

Lincoln lets his cigarette sit idle on his lips as Ronnie, looking rather tense, takes a long drag from hers. After exhaling, she resumes.

"Like, it's like those gritty prison movies. I-I remember this one movie...it was made in 2000, I think. I saw it a few years ago on television. I-I think a rapper produced it. Anyway, in this movie, these guys go to jail and they see a bunch of prison murders and inmates doing hard drugs and...well, rape. I thought it was made up. Overly exaggerated-Hollywood stuff. When I was sent to juvi, I thought it wasn't going to be like that. But no...it was. I wasn't inside with just small timers. It was them mixed with hardcore juveniles. So, I had to live, work, eat and shower with female predators, killers, drug dealers, psychos-you name it. I mean...I….I.."

Ronnie Anne got teary.

"Ronnie...if you don't want to-" Lincoln said.

"I-I'm wrapping it up…" Ronnie Anne assures him.

She resumes.

"I...I seen a lot of people get beat up, stabbed, killed...and even some who took the easy way out while I was there. The guards didn't care if we hurt each other. Until one of their own gets hurt...then they want to beat you with a nightstick or restrain you. If a guard took a liking to you in there...they'd come for you…It was just…"

Lincoln rested his hand on her shoulder.

"D-Did you know there were a lot of young female rapist out there? Y-You'd think it's just men, but no. I was one my way to my room and I noticed some noises...struggle noises...coming from the room next to mine. I came to her door...there were three other girls trying to take her down. I-I really tried to help her...but there were stronger then me. Beat the shit out of me...I didn't stand a chance. The biggest one of the bunch basically choke slammed me on the ground and things were getting dark. All I could see was the girls over powering her. She screamed so loud. She cried. And I couldn't help her. I...I heard, after I got out of the infirmary, she hung herself…everything keep moving…"

Lincoln was realizing this was a tad too deep. He didn't want her to crumble. He never seen Ronnie Anne in this kind of state. Lincoln had his fair share of woe when he was away, but never got involved in anything or with anyone. To know she tried to help someone in need and failed, made him realize she wasn't that awful drug dealer he thought she was. She was still human. She was still someone with empathy. Lincoln, not sure what to do, moved his milk crate closer to Ronnie Anne. Ronnie Anne takes notice and sniffs a bit.

"A-Anyway, not too long after that, I found the girls who...did those things to her and I fought them. It was broken up and they all got in trouble, but for some reason...I didn't. They called me into this weird room and asked me questions. Mainly about the gang I was with before I got sent away. They weren't many of us-just ten hoodlums doing bad stuff. These officers kept saying they had a deal for me and that I was stupid if I turned it down. They found out they were really getting into the drug business here in Royal Woods and they were doing some deals with the cartel...and it was going to be a huge deal. The people in the gang were older-I was the youngest. The officers knew that...they said if I gave up all of their names and where I can find them, they would have me out by the end of the week. Also, if I tell them anything that can keep them in jail, they'd make it worth my while seeing how I'm still a kid."

"So, they wanted you to snitch…" Lincoln said.

She nodded.

"How quick were you on taking the deal?" asked Lincoln.

Ronnie Anne sighs.

"I sung like a damn canary. I told them everything they wanted to hear. Names, stash spots, client locations, where the drugs come from, who gives it to us, other crimes they've done-everything. They were so impressed with how much I told them, they made me sign the paper minutes after I finished. The gang got arrested in a matter of hours and I was out of there that Friday afternoon. That was six months ago…"

Lincoln understood what happened and why she would take it.

"I'm...glad you're out and you're safe.." Lincoln said.

Ronnie Anne looks to Lincoln surprised. Lincoln was surprised himself, seeing how he originally saw her as something of a villain. He clears his throat.

"I-I'm sure your family feels the same way, huh?" asked Lincoln.

"Yeah. I mean, my mom is still pretty upset I was sent there to begin with but she's glad I'm home. Bobby was too, but I don't hear from him anymore…" she said.

Lincoln found this strange.

"What do you mean? About Bobby?" asked Lincoln.

"Well, Bobby doesn't live here anymore. He enlisted in the army not too long after he and Leni broke up" Ronnie Anne said.

"So, they did broke up. Must have been a bad romance" Lincoln said, flipping back to the thought of who Leni was to him after speaking to her today.

"Actually...it's the opposite" said Ronnie Anne.

"Wait-wha?" Lincoln said with a lost expression.

"Well, from what my mom told me, Leni and Bobby were very good for each other. They legit seemed like they were in love. It got so ridiculous, she said Bobby moved into you're house for a while" Ronnie Anne said after taking a drag.

Lincoln froze.

"Lincoln?" asked Ronnie Anne.

"D-Did she say where in the house he was staying?" asked Lincoln is a hint of fear.

"Uhh...I think it was the attic…" she answered.

Lincoln began to shake. It was starting to seem weird. Why was it bad to go up to the attic? Why did Lucy felt the need to bring that rule up? Why was everyone pretending not to know Bobby? Lincoln coughs.

"So, why did that break up..?" asked Lincoln, fearful but calculated. "She doesn't seem to bring him up much…"

"Well…" started Ronnie Anne as she crossed her legs. "She mentioned that Leni began to change and started to act a tad religious. She was okay with it, but Leni would never invite Bobby to church and never say what church she was going to. Mom found it shady but Bobby was concerned. They argued about it often until they broke up because Leni wanted to keep her faith. She said he was so messed up about the break up, he decided he'd enlist for the army after he moved out of the house. He texted mom that they threw his stuff out and he was going to enlist and leave town. Mom thought he was super depressed…"

Lincoln sighed. If that was the case, Bobby was gone and part of the army and didn't see just how bad things have gotten.

"I see…" Lincoln said.

"Well, what's your story?" asked Ronnie Anne.

"My dad died and our stepmother abandoned me and Lily. So, we had no choice but to move back home. Since mom is in rehab, Lori is the head of the house" Lincoln said as he takes one long drag of his almost useless cigarette.

Ronnie Anne shivers, causing Lincoln to prompt to speak up.

"Cold?" asked Lincoln as he pulls out a cig.

"No-Lori…" said Ronnie Anne.

Lincoln slows up as he lights the cancer stick up.

"What about her?" asked Lincoln.

"Mom told me a weird story about her…" she said.

Lincoln's brow raises up.

"About a month ago, while I was out to the store, she came by the house asking for Bobby. Mom said she looked very confused like she was on drugs or something but she said she looked more scared than high. My mother told her that Bobby was away and she should know that, but she said Lori look like she was on the brink of tears. Then she just snapped into a chilling smiling and started praying in tongues. It scared my mother so much, she just slammed the door in her face. It sounds creepy. The wild hair, looking like she was lost, the bandages on her her hand, the screaming-" Ronnie carried on.

"Wait…" said Lincoln. "Did you say bandaged hands and screaming?" he asked.

Ronnie Anne takes a drag and sighs lightly.

"Yeah, my mom said after she closed the door, she screamed and banged on the door. She kept screaming 'Let me in! Let me in! Please help me! Let me in!"-it's just creepy, man" she said.

Lincoln's blood gets cold. Just what was going on while he was gone? He knew there was something off about the house, but he knew right then and there that there was something even deeper happening. Something more sinister. He just didn't know how everything connected.

"How's Lucy?" she asked.

Lincoln snaps back into the conversation.

"Oh, she's fine...hasn't said a word since I been home, though.." he said.

"Not surprising" said Ronnie Anne.

"Why is that?" asked Lincoln.

"Last time we spoke was a week and a half ago. She was one of the few people who visited me and she was sweet. I mean...we weren't into each other like before. It was just a phase. But we are still decent friends until the calls stopped…" she said.

Lincoln is thrown for a loop. He was never told about these calls.

"You and Lucy were talking on the phone?" he asked.

"Yeah, but last time she called me, she was crying. Saying her mom was coming after her. I thought it was weird because I thought her mom was out in Arizona or something like that. But I could hear someone say 'Loose lips! Loose lips!' and the call ended. Then I think...I wanna say Luna...called my phone and said Lucy has been grounded and won't be able to speak…"

Lincoln was terrified. There was no denying it now. Something bad has happened and is still happening.

"Wow...she must have been grounded pretty hard, huh?" asked Lincoln, growing more numb as the icy rain pelts his head.

Ronnie Anne nodded.

"I think I oughta head home-Lily needs to be getting ready to lay down" Lincoln said, rushing the excuse.

"Hey...before you go…" Ronnie Anne started.

Lincoln stops as Ronnie Anne rested her hand on his thigh.

"Maybe...sometime tomorrow...you can come back here and hang out with me again?" Ronnie Anne asked with a bashful face.

Lincoln wasn't expecting this. Ronnie Anne was...clearly casting her feelings towards him in such a poor way. He knew why she wanted him to come back. However, deep down, he knew he wanted to.

"S-Sure...let's hang tomorrow.." Lincoln answered with a gentle smile.

* * *

Ronnie Anne smiled. Lincoln was about to throw his short on the ground, but stops. He takes the cig out of his mouth and hands it to Ronnie Anne. Without saying a word, she leans her head to the butt of the cigarette and takes a puff as Lincoln holds it. She latches onto it with her lips and pulls it away from his hands and smokes it. Not long after that, he waves to Ronnie Anne, hops off the milk crate and makes a mad dash to the house.

Lincoln ran and stopped for nothing and no one, now knowing bits and pieces to the story he didn't know was there. As he makes it to the yard, he clears the walkway with a single leap and sticks the landing right outside the front door. He opens it and walks inside to find a dark house. As soon as he takes a step, a door closes and locks from his right. Sounding like it was coming from the kitchen. He wasn't sure if it was the back door to the backyard or...the basement. Lincoln wasn't going to find out, not knowing where everyone was. He made his way up the stairs and into the hallway to see all the doors are shut. He slowly creeps to his bedroom door and and stops. He holds his ear to the door to listen to what was happening.

"Does it hurt?" said a voice.

It sounded like Lily.

"I-It's not that bad. It's okay…" said a voice.

That was clearly Lucy.

"Lincy can help you!" said Lily excited.

"Lily, thank you...but please don't tell him about this...it'll cause him to worry and-"

Lincoln opened the door quickly and stepped in. Lily turns her head to her brother and gives a worried look. Lucy gasped and freezes up, the collar of her turtleneck finally down to reveal her face. Lincoln gave a horrified look. On the pale girl's lips her small darkened holes. Two on the bottom, three on the top. They were slightly noticeable but clean, showing that she has taken care of herself. Lincoln didn't need to ask about them. It was clear her mouth was sewn up and were just recently cut.

"How...long did they have you like that?" he said sadly.

Lucy looks down as Lily petted at the girl's black hair, trying to keep her calm.

"A month...they cut them off five days ago…" Lucy said meekly and dryly.

Lincoln comes in quickly and holds Lucy close. Lucy sniffles like she was going to weep. She quickly pulls up her collar, throwing Lincoln off.

"L-Lucy-" Lincoln started.

"Shh…" she said.

Silence.

Lucy, Lincoln and Lily all looked down the hallway. Nothing was happening. Until...Lucy's bedroom door opened up by itself. Lily dashes for the bed and hides under the covers, frightened by the event. Lincoln was startled as well.

"Lucy..please...no…" said Lincoln with desperation. "You have to tell me...what's happening here…?"

Lucy looks to Lincoln and a tear slowly rolls down her cheek.

"I have to take my medication…" she said weakly. "I don't want to get you sick…"

With that she walks slowly into the hallway, taking her time to get to her room. Lincoln stands at the doorway of his room, worried and lost about what was going on. However, as Lucy got closer to the room, he noticed Lucy was moving faster. She even paused and stared upward. At...the attic door. Lucy then looks ahead and starts to walk faster. As she crept closer to her bedroom door, she quickly shifts like she was about to run for it, but before she could even do it, four long arms grab ahold of her mid stride and drag her inside her room. Lincoln quickly shuts the door to his room and locks it. He moves to his desk and props his chair under the knob to keep the door from opening. He walks to his shaking sister under the covers and holds her close. He pulls out the gun from his hoodie pocket and kept it aimed at the door.

He hears the faint noises of struggling in the hallways and the light crying of Lily.

"Shhh..." he said softly and shakily to his little sister. "I-It's going to be okay, Lily...it's going to be okay...it's going to be...o-okay…"

The boy felt like he was like the girl of the canal. A bird stuck in a trap.


	7. Promise

Time passed and darkness swallows the room. As the darkness sat still, the faint sounds of snoring is heard. However, in the rumbling darkness, there's a soft thud sound. Lincoln slowly opens his eyes, cutting the snoring entirely. Lincoln looked around his room. He was confused. He was sitting on the floor, propped against his bed, staring toward his desk. The boy could have sworn he was sitting on the bed with Lily not too long ago as he rubbed his eyes, thinking he may have fallen asleep at some point of the night and rolled off the bed. That couldn't be the real flow of events because he was sitting upright, back against the bed. The idea started to bother him for the simple fact it made zero sense. He cover his eyes with the palm of his hands and began to rub them again. As he does so, right in front of him a sound is heard.

Crying.

Lincoln slowly stopped rubbing his eyes and looked up. It was Lily. She was on her knees and looking downward, crying softly. Lincoln snapped into big brother mode on a dime and slowly crawled to her, wearing a very calm smile. She resumed crying as Lincoln started to think about what has gotten her to cry like this. Maybe she wasn't feeling well or had a bad dream. Maybe she had to go to the bathroom but too scared to walk in the dark. Whatever it was, it seemed to have made her upset enough. Lincoln places his hand on her head and pats it.

"Hey, hey, hey…" he started gently. "What's wrong?"

Silence. Dead silence. Before long, she began to giggle.

Lincoln was taken aback by this as his blood began freezing and his limbs locking.

"L-Lily..?" Lincoln asked.

"Salutations, mon cher frère …" Lily said with a giggle.

Lincoln freezes.

"...N-No...how did you..?...w-why..?" Lincoln said making an attempt to back away from her.

As he backs away awkwardly, the little girl looked up at him, breaking her heavy sights on the floor and stared at him. Lincoln once again freezes and tremble. Lily stared at him coldly with red pupils and a toothy smile. The child looked like a demon to the boy, with eyes such a grimace ruby color, centered like a doll's eyes that followed anyone in the room. She looked at him with shark eyes; just devoid of life with a smile so sweet on first glance but reeks with the low hints of something sinister.

"Est-ce que je t'effraie?" asked Lily to Lincoln, not breaking her gaze nor her smile.

"W-What? H-H-How are you speaking French? W-Why are you speaking-" he started.

"Tu m'avais promis…" Lily said as her smile begins to fade.

Lincoln is concerned.

"L-Lily, whatever is wrong, j-just tell me and I-" Lincoln started.

"Tu m'avais promis…" said Lily a bit louder as she tilts her head at Lincoln.

Lincoln shivers. He wasn't sure what else to do, but he slowly reaches his right hand into his hoodie pocket. In a lightening fast response, Lily darts her gaze to the slight movement in Lincoln's hoodie pocket. She gasped lightly. Before Lincoln could even react, Lily gets on all fours and leaps towards him, catching him off guard. She slams into his chest, causing him to fall into a coughing fit until wrapping her right hand around his neck and began choking him. Lincoln felt his throat feel the stress of no air immediately. He grabs ahold of her arm with his left hand, hoping to be able to pry her grip away from his neck with no luck. Lily's arm felt like a beam of pure steel, unmending and growing tighter the more he fought with it. Lincoln, feeling as if he had no other option, managed to pull his gun out of his hoodie pocket, only to have Lily grab the gun and his balled hand on the handle. She forces his right arm up with the gun pointed to the side of his head. Lincoln wanted to scream for help and shake his way free, but felt the noise of the world deafen itself as he quickly starts to succumb to losing consciousness.

"Tu m'avais promis...tu m'avais promis...tu m'avais promis…" Lily said to him, over and over as the room grew dark. The only thing piercing the darkness were her cold, toy-like eyes.

"Lincoln…" Lily said.

"Lincoln…"

"Lincoln."

"Lincy…"

"L-Lincy! Lincy! Please wake up, Lincy!"

"LINCY!"

 **SMACK!**

* * *

Lincoln's eyes opened immediately to see a scared Lily, eyes small and her body shaking with fear as she stares at him. Lincoln stares at his sister still frightened with a flushed face. He wasn't sure why all of a sudden she was afraid. He quickly reached at his neck with his left hand. Nothing. No sore, no ridging, no sign of strangling whatsoever. Lincoln wasn't sure why he and Lily were on the ground and why she was so afraid, she'd slap him. He was about to scratch his head with his other hand before Lily tensed up and got white. Lincoln turns his head to his right to see he had the gun to his head. He now understood what was happening. The red eyed Lily, the choking, the French-all part of an episode.

Lincoln drops his gun and looks at Lily, who just has a mass of tears rolling down her face. Lincoln makes an attempt to move closer to her, but she moves away from him.

"Lily, I'm so sorry that I-" Lincoln started.

"Y-You promised me…" she said through her tears.

"I-I promised what?" he asked.

Lily picks up a nearby sneaker and throws it at him, hitting him on the forehead. He covers his forehead as Lily balls up her lips, like a child does, and groans.

"You promised me you were okay! You pinky promised you're okay! You promised and you were going to hurt yourself!" Lily shouted at him.

Lincoln looks down, clearly ashamed.

"Lily, I'm sorry. It won't happen again-" Lincoln started.

Enraged, Lily takes the other shoe and pelts Lincoln in the head with it. Lincoln grips where the shoot hit him, feeling the pain after being beamed with the thick sole of the sneaker.

"You always say that! You always say that and you never mean it! You won't let me help!" Lily yells.

Lincoln groans.

"Lily, you can't help me with this. There's something wrong with my head" Lincoln explained. "You can't fix that."

"I-I could try!" she protested.

"That's not how it works. I-I messed up my pill schedule a week or so back. My body is trying to play catch up…" said Lincoln.

Lily folded her arms as tears fall off her face.

"You promised me…" Lily said.

"I know…" Lincoln said, rubbing his face.

"What if you have to go away like daddy?" Lily asked pitifully.

Lincoln paused. He knows things have been hard on Lily ever since their father died. He and Lily have been very close since he moved in. More now that their father is gone. She's been latched on the Lincoln's side and holding his hand every step of the way since they reunited. She hates going anywhere without him, loves to make him laugh with her goofy little drawings, loves listening to his many stories and always says her I Love Yous every morning and every night. The very idea of losing that bond never crossed Lincoln's mind. He loved his baby sister dearly, but always figured they would be together no matter what. Even though things look more and more foggy every passing minute within this house, he figured they would come out of it side by side. He looks at the sad weeping girl and sighs to himself, feeling foolish that he was having another episode. Not only that, but he felt guilty not taking her feelings about him seriously.

"Hey, Lily…" Lincoln said somberly.

"What?" said Lily as she sat there, cheek puffed up and pouty.

"What time do I take my medicine?" asked Lincoln.

"When you wake up in the morning and at six o'clock" Lily said, still pouty.

Lincoln sighs.

"Lily, I'm really, really sorry…" Lincoln said.

"...I'm scared you'll leave me too. I don't want to be alone…" Lily said with a sniff.

Lincoln puts the gun back in his pocket and sighs to himself. He wanted to think on that weird episode he had, but realized it wasn't the time.

He thought about Lucy.

The shameful feeling, slamming the door while a pair of hands grabbed his sister and drag her away. He knew he could have done something about it with the gun. However, he wasn't crazy. He knew those hands belonged to his sisters. Even if they are being creepy and secretive, they haven't tried to hurt him. However, the issue at dinner with Lily's food could have been something or Lily just being a grumpy child. He was worried for Lucy, sure. But what can he do? He didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't want to possibility killing someone. He was also worried about everyone else. What was going on? Who is all involved? What can he do? Will Lily be safe?

All the questions clouded his brain until there was a freeze. Lincoln looked down to his arm to see he was actually pulling the gun back out of his pocket. He quickly looks to Lily to see she was laying on the floor, facing away from him, upset and sniffling. Lincoln sighs and lets go of the gun in his pocket, thinking of a way to put some positive to help move this forward.

Sure, he wanted to find out just what was happening in this house, but figure this plan would have to wait until tomorrow. Right now, he has to play big brother.

He crawls back onto the bed and looks down at Lily on the floor.

"Lily" Lincoln called out.

"What?" said a still pouty Lily.

"You want to hear a story?" Lincoln asked.

There was a pause.

"No!" said Lily bitterly.

"Com'n oooooon…" Lincoln teased. "It's a...interesting story."

Lily slowly gets off the floor and slowly scoots her feet across the floor in her black and gray long night socks with hearts on them. She gets on the bed with Lincoln and sits next to him, hugging her legs and pretending to still be pouty. Lincoln pats her head and sighs.

"Now, this is a story about two young boys" Lincoln started.

Lily pretends not to care, but keeps cutting her eyes at Lincoln, waiting for his tale.

"Once upon a time not long ago, in a town like our own, there was a little boy who was misled by another little boy and this is what he-" he started

"What were their names?" asked Lily.

"Linc-I...mean...London. As for his friend, his name was...Carlos" Lincoln lied.

"Oh, okay" said a now calm Lily.

"Anyway, the two were best friends. They were like brothers and they always had each other's backs. They were great friends, but Cly-Carlos...was hanging around a bad crowd. London was very worried about Carlos but Carlos said that the other kids found a way to make a lot of money and he wanted to help London make some money too. Seeing how they were such good friends, they didn't want to do anything without one another, so London said he'd help him."

"How were they making the money, Lincy?" asked Lily.

Lincoln froze.

"Selling...candy" he spat out.

"Oh, I like candy!" said Lily somewhat excited.

Lincoln quickly shook his head.

"I-It's bad candy! Bad! Like, it was...uhh...p-poison candy!" said Lincoln, trying to make Lily hate the idea.

Lily looked at Lincoln with a tilted face.

"What kind of candy? Was it chocolate?" she asked.

"Uh, no..n-not chocolate…" said Lincoln.

"Was it taffy?" Lily asked.

"No...not that either…" Lincoln answered.

"Was it candy cigarettes?" she asked.

"Candy ciga-no! Why do you even know what that is?!" Lincoln asked.

"You have a bunch of candy cigarettes, Lincy. In your pocket" Lily said obliviously.

Lincoln paused and coughed.

"Uhh...y-yeah!" he said. "Yep..it's...candy alright…"

"What does it taste like?" asked Lily.

"Like death and a burning leather wallet…" Lincoln muttered.

"Hmm?" Lily asked.

"I-It wasn't that either. It was..uhh...you remember that rocky candy stuff dad brought home with him when he went out of town for that work trip?" Lincoln asked.

"The candy that looked like glass but it's sugar?" Lily responded excited.

"Yeah! B-But think of it as all white and poisonous!" Lincoln said.

Lily nodded.

"Anyway, London and Carlos sold it to a lot of people and-"

"Those people didn't go to heaven?" Lily asked.

Lincoln paused.

"Uh...of course they did, Lily" Lincoln said with a smile.

"No, they didn't. Heaven isn't really real" Lily answered.

Lincoln was rather shocked.

"Lily, who told you that?" Lincoln said concerned.

She points at him. He gets quiet and everything came to a halt. Lily looked to her brother, puzzled by the sudden oath of silence.

"Lincy..?" Lily asked.

Lincoln sighs.

"Linc-London and Carlos made a lot of money selling the candy. But Carlos, for some stupid, stupid, STUPID reason, thought it would be a good idea to sell it at school. Soon, quite a few kids were being caught and we-I mean...they, had to hurt a lot of people to keep them from telling on them. N-Not to mention hitting one over and over with a bat-stick! Anyway, they keep selling and selling and selling until I-LONDON got tired of it. He started feeling really guilty. He was feeling bad about doing this. He thought his family would be very disappointed in him if he was to be outed for this…"

"L-Lincy…?" Lily asked concerned.

"When the two friends ended up getting guns-WATER PISTOLS...London knew he didn't want to sell candy anymore. But word through town is that the police were on to their candy selling scheme. London was scared. London didn't want to get in trouble. He didn't want to make his family sad...so he told Carlos he didn't want to do it anymore...but Carlos got very nervous. He thought London would tell on him if he let him walk away. He couldn't just let him go-no. He had to be in control. He got a little cocky. Started selling a bunch of candy. L-London was just trying to tell him he needed to stop! Just..stop before the cops come!"

Lincoln began to shake. Lily looked at Lincoln frightened.

"A-And Carlos pulled out that damn water pistol and started shooting! What could London do?! Stand there and die-I mean, get soaked?! No! He pulled out his pistol and shot at him twice in the chest! Laid him out! T-There were sirens! The one thing London didn't want to do and it happened!"

"Lincy...please…" Lily said worried.

"London just started running-running with the sounds of cop cars behind him. He tried to shake them, but they knew his every move! Every ally, canal, trail-you name it. He managed to get in his house but knew it was already over and-"

Lincoln stops.

He turns his head to see Lily was hugging him tightly, trying her hardest to comfort him. Lincoln holds Lily closely and sighs.

"And the rest was history…" Lincoln finished.

"Let's go to sleep.." Lily said.

"Okay…" Lincoln smiled. "I love you, Lily."

"I love you too, London" Lily joked.

Lincoln could only chuckle.

"I suck at stories" he muttered to himself.

The two laid on the bed side by side. Lincoln hands over most of the cover on the bed to Lily to keep her warm and protected. He lays on his side and got ready to to sleep.

"Lincy?" Lily asked with cover nearly covering her entire face.

"Don't tell me you have to go to the bathroom…" Lincoln joked.

"No! I don't have to go!" Lily said. "I wanted to ask something…"

"What do you need, Lily?" Lincoln said as he began to close his eyes.

"Can...you promise you'll never leave me?" Lily asked.

Lincoln's eyes opened right then and there. He turned to his sister, who looked at him with heavy eyes.

"I...I promise…" Lincoln said with a smile.

Lily yawned.

"Pinky promise..?" Lily said, nodding off to sleep as she puts her hand out.

Lincoln wrapped his pinky around hers and sealed the pact he made with her.

"Pinky promise" Lincoln said.

Lily smiled and not too long after that drifted off the sleep. The boy stared upward toward the ceiling, catching a small glance of the vent sighing as the lids of his eyes grew heavy and plunge the room back into darkness. The boy was close to complete slumber before a noise split the air. A voice.

* * *

''Là-bas renaît lentement l'arc-en-ciel…"

Lincoln's eyes flew back open. He could hear the faint sounds of Lily sleeping, but nothing else. The faint sound of rattling is heard. Before long, Lincoln looks toward the vent to see a hand creep through the grate. The fingers wiggled about, causing Lincoln to shake.

"Pareil à notre amour ardent et presque irréel…"

Lincoln watched as the fingers fumble along the outside of the grate to locate the latch to open the vent up. Lincoln, barely thinking, slowly grabs his phone out of his pocket and turn on the flashlight, aiming it right at the vent. As light poured into the vent, he knew it to be true. Lana was in the vent, trying to gain entry. Once the light hit, she quickly aborts her mission and crawls through the vent and away from the room, making plenty of noise as she does it. Lincoln pulls his gun out and sighs. He reached under his bed and pulled out two caffeine tablets wrapped in clear wrap. He unwraps it and pops them. After that, he returns his sight to the vent, armed and ready.

"I promise, Lily…" Lincoln said to himself.

As the night moves on upstairs with him, down below time has stop completely. The past is no more and the future doesn't exist. The hour is never and the minute was void. In the darkness, a faint panting is heard.

"Shhhh…." says a voice.

The panting stops.

"It's okay, Lucy. You are safe. But tell me...do you know why you are here..?"


	8. Safe

Lucy scoffs.

A light from above shines. It was a flimsy white pendant lamp, caked with dust, with an dyed orange bulb. The lamp sway and cracked like a pendulum with an old chain as the light revealed Lucy was sitting at an old and withered dinner room table. As the lamp slowly stops its swaying motion, it started to set in the dead center of the table, where the light showcase Lucy, restrained by straps in what appeared to be a nonfunctional electric chair from unknown origin. The chair had straps made of leather that held down Lucy's biceps, forearms, wrist, torso, lap, ankles and ,what looked like a novice installment, her neck. The electrical instrumentals that would normally used to fry the brain and the vital organs of those who were forced into these were either disconnected, like some wires, or completely removed, like the head mount. Lucy balls her lips and curves her fingers into the edge of the arm of the chair to see the face that sat across from her.

Wearing a smile but with hollow eyes, sat Luan.

Luan sat there in her chair, arms on the table and hands cupped together. The girl's hair was wild and not in a ponytail. She wore a black sweater with a pair of white gloves-the kind of gloves a stage performer in a classy play would most likely wear. Her face looked clean, but the light bags under her eyes made it obvious she was without sleep for a fair period of time. Luan just smiled at Lucy-unmoving. Lucy went still and tried not to move as much in the chair, toying with the idea if she stayed very still, she might just go away.

"Lucy dear?" asked Luan happily.

Lucy sighs heavily, annoyed her idea didn't work.

"What?" Lucy nearly growled.

"You didn't answer my question" Luan said politely with a tilt.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe. Lucy just stared at her sister, not wanting to even think about giving in to sister's questioning. At that moment, Luan's eyes opened wide and the pupils of her eyes dilated in an a quick, unsettlingly noticeable way. The evil appearance of Luan caused even Lucy to jump back in her chair, only to bump her head into the hard wood back of the chair, being too small in frame to fill the chair completely. The child of darkness attempted to recoil her arms close to her and tried to make her feet help her bounce upward out of the chair, to no success. Luan watches the pointless struggle of her younger sister with an almost sick sign of amusement, giggling to herself. Lucy looks to Luan as she snickered to herself, only to catch the girl give out an ecstasy filled expression. The sight of such an sexually applying facial expression along with the sick delight of her failed flight from her sister's evil looking eyes filled Lucy with a boiling rage.

She groans loudly and barks back.

"Are you getting off to this?!" Lucy yelled, being one of the rare times she's actually dialed up the volume in her voice.

Luan simply smiled.

"Dear, sister. This intervention is not about me. But about you and your rather foolish decisions" Luan replied softly.

Lucy took offense to her calm attitude.

"Don't you sit there and talk to me like I'm some kind of idiot child, Luan! What have they done to you this time?!" Lucy demanded.

Luan just closes her eyes and shakes her head, giving a dry chuckle as she does it.

"You poor, poor, poor lost soul. They simply reminded me of the truth" Luan said with a chilling honesty.

"The truth..?" Lucy asked with a hint of dread in her tone.

"In the faith. In the order. In the way of the wayward son" Luan said as she puts her hands together. "Que le fils descendant vous bénisse."

Lucy groans.

"Spare me the French nonsense, Luan-I can't believe you take it seriously…" said Lucy annoyed. She quickly snaps into attention as something crosses her mind, causing her to give a smug smile. "Or is that Lisa's special "treatment" helping you learn?"

Luan looks at Lucy with a face that shows off that she was indeed offended by her sister's words.

"Dear sister, do not speak ill of the selected few and what they have done to better our family. Your family-" started Luan.

"You're NOT my family…" growled Lucy animalistically through her teeth. "You are NOT the sister's I know and love...you are puppets.."

Luan shook her head.

"Lucy, you shouldn't say things like-" she started.

"Stop it-don't act like you're her…" Lucy said, still angry.

"Thou shalt not disrespect thy sister-" started Luan.

"Enough with the commandments, Luan...they aren't real and you know it-" Lucy started.

Luan hoped at her chair and slammed her hand on the table.

"Yes they are, dear sister! You should not be allowed to j-just sit there and bastardize the teachings of-" started Luan.

"And YOU shouldn't be sitting there enjoying my suffering!" shouted Lucy.

"I only found it amusing because you are a heretic!" replied Luan.

"So, because I decided to stop letting you guys control me, it's okay to mock my pain?!" asked Lucy as she starts to flex her muscles against the tight straps of the chair.

"Why won't you understand the reason you are down here because of your wicked ways?! Your sick desire to destroy this paradise given to us by the teachings of the wayward son?! Why do you deny him?!" shouted Luan.

"He's your BROTHER, you warped bitch!" yelled Lucy at the top of her lungs.

Luan gets quiet. She stares at Lucy for a long time. Both of them red in the face, sweat at the temple and misty eyed. The two held their stares for a long period of time before Lucy lowered her head and wept. Luan paused. Instead of feeling joy this time around, she felt guilt. Lucy's long black bangs draped downward like lush black curtain, hiding her face. Luan sighs.

"I know you have your doubts, but can't you see this is his will? Look at me-Lisa's treatments and his will has cured me-" started Luan.

"No, Luan. Being locked in the ivory box only kept you-" started Lucy.

Luan slams her hand on the table.

"N-No! I-It was the grace of the son and his word! A-And Lisa's mercy that saved me!" Luan said in a shaky fashion, trying her hardest to keep a pleasant face.

Lucy looks at Luan and shakes her head.

"It was your punishment, Luan…" Lucy started.

Luan balls her hands into a fist.

"You know they treatments are temporary-they only work a few days. We're just lab monkeys…" Lucy said.

Luan slams her hands together and closes her eyes.

"As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…" Luan started.

"You know it's bullshit-it's doesn't work…" Lucy resumes.

" I-I will fear no evil nor heresy, for you, the son, are with me.." Luan tries to resume.

"D-Don't you remember what happened to me? Luan, please...if the real you is there, please tell me you remember…" Lucy begged as tears rolled off her cheeks.

"...L-Lucy...please...don't do this…" said Luan as tears began to form.

"I could have died, Luan! Stop acting like a freaking zombie and remember me! The real me! Because I want to see the real you! The you I love! My sister!" yelled Lucy with a pained throat.

Luan freezes up. She starts to tear up.

"I...I guess…I shouldn't crucify you.." said Luan with a chuckle. "Not...my best joke."

Lucy stares at Luan.

"L-Luan..?" asked Lucy with hope in her voice.

"Look...Lucy, I'm so sorry. I don't know-" Luan started.

A loud bang is heard and following the bang was Luan's body flying backward before slamming into the concrete floor, ragdolling the entire way down. Lucy screamed loudly as her sister laid on the ground limp and seemingly lifeless. The girl screeched and started to cry in pain. The idea of Luan possibly being dead filled her with such hurt, she could no longer keep her composure. As the girl screams her rage into the orange lit room, tiny footsteps are heard coming from behind her.

"Batch L-Vamp 1: failure. Still too weak. Not enough conditioning."

The voice was arrogant. Mature. A fading lisp sounding off on certain words.

Walking into the orange lit room was Lisa. The girl resumed on to the other end of the table, after stepping over the knocked out body of Luan. Lucy grew amazingly angry at Lisa's nonchalant attitude to their slumped over sibling.

"You little…" Lucy started.

Now, now, now...relax…" Lisa said. "It was only a bean bag gun. She'll be fine."

Lucy growls. Before a hand rested on her shoulder. Lucy goes stiff. Lisa pulls out a large needle with an almost illuminated green liquid in it. She flicks her finger as the base of the needle and sighs.

"Now, let's have a talk about...note passing…"

* * *

Behind Lucy was a dimly lit hallway that started with a sketchy set of stairs that led further underground. The inner workings was chiseled out of the bits of sheet metal, drywall, damp mud brick, and thick pieces of timber that doubled as walling and as support beams. The walls were decorated with lame rocks and wires used to help the misshapen bunker that rested fifteen feet under the house keep form and not cave in by the shabby construction. The only source of light where the many twin work lights that lines the fairly large hallways and the fluorescent lights that were hooked long the wall, giving small burst of light every couple of feet. In one of these compressed and poorly crafted rooms is a bathroom. In that bathroom, a young woman in crisis is having a heart to heart with someone she hates more than anything: herself.

Lori, teary and bitter stares at the smug expression of herself in the grimy, fungus coated mirror. The woman in the mirror wasn't the woman barely able to prop herself up on the clunky sink that was clearly a relic of the 80s. Lori stared at her reflection.

"Well, well, well...long time no see.." said Mirror Lori with a smug grin. "My, my. You looked like you seen better days."

Lori scoffed.

"I-I been doing great! Amazing, even!" she said.

"Mmmmmmhmm…" replied Mirror Lori sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. "Sure you are.."

"I am! I-I found religion!" Lori said.

"Oh, great!" said Lori with a false sweetness. "Best way to lie about not being a terrible person is to join a group built off of lies! So, how's the Lie Club? Have you started a lie collection yet?"

"Stop joking!" Lori nearly shouted. "I-I'm doing better! I'm happy!"

"One: No. You're not doing better. You and I both know once the treatments wear off, we're sick as a dog. The depression, the insomnia, the vomiting, feeling on edge all the time-you know it's that...stuff they keep pumping into us. Two: You are NOT happy" Mirror Lori broke down.

"I-I found faith!" said Lori.

"In a young teen you wanted to rape, like, a little over a year ago? Are you dense?" Mirror Lori said.

"I won't let you shake my faith! Everything has never been better!" Lori protested.

Mirror Lori groans.

"A-Are you serious? Did that Ludovico Technique shit fry your brain? I get the whole MK Ultra stuff, but-" Mirror Lori started.

"T-That was a test! W-We were following his word and we made a mistake!" Lori said as she started to hold her herself.

Mirror Lori chuckles.

"There you go, holding your belly. Means not too long from now, you'll need another treatment or your body goes to shit...pathetic…" Mirror Lori said.

Lori begins to sweat and dry heave. She quickly places her hands over her mouth as the smelly fungus starts to become more and more noticeable. The light bubbling of Lori's stomach was loud enough to make Mirror Lori feel the need to taunt her.

"It's funny. This weird test tube science juice...you say doesn't make you sick. But...what about what you had to do to Leni?" Mirror Lori said.

Lori grew pale.

"D-Don't do that...I...I was told it had to be done…" Lori said.

Mirror Lori shook her head.

"No, no...you were so angry and so jealous...you JUMPED at the opportunity. She was going to make Luna do it before the…'video incident'. You thought it was a sign from God of all people to do it...and you did it with a smile.." she taunted.

"I did what was right-" started Lori.

"For who, exactly? Please, tell me how unselfish you are so I can call you stupid again-it's fun" Mirror Lori mocked.

Lori felt the heavy acids of her bile popping and sizzling at the rim of her throat as the feeling of nausea and mixed emotions begins to overtake her.

"You did it...because it wasn't yours…" Mirror Lori said.

As soon as this was said, Lori immediately vomits her entire soul and dinner into the sink in a golden orange wave of grease, acids and bits of lamb. The girl couldn't help herself, puking into the sink without much of an arm before getting some on her hand and causing her to loose her grip on the sink and slip away and fall to the ground. As the vomiting episode resumes, walking down the hall way oddly enough Leni, dressing in a motherly gown with slippers. She passes through the dank hallway but stops outside the bathroom to hear the noise of Lori coughing and gagging. Leni showed no emotion. She kept walking to the stairs that led back to the room where Lisa and Lucy were talking.

* * *

On the table, there was an empty needle. Leni looks to Lucy to see that she was slumped over. Leni pulls Lucy's head up to see there was a part in her bangs, showing her eyes. Lucy was knocked out; fast asleep. Leni sighs to herself and stared at Lucy's face, thinking to herself she can't remember a time where she seen Lucy's eyes, let alone her closed eyelids. She studied her sister's mouth to see Lucy's lips were fine. Plump and kissable, able to give off her attitude. But she looks at the faint holes and shudders, feeling an emotion she feels she's unworthy to feel. She unstraps Lucy from the chair and picks her up. She walks upstairs out the basement and walks the sleeping girl upstairs to her room. She gently remove all of her sisters day clothes and slip on her night clothes, keeping her steady in attempts to keep from waking her. Leni places Lucy under her covers and kisses her forehead. Before walking to the door, she looks to Lucy and sniffs.

"I'm...sorry…" Leni said. "I-If I did anything bad to you...while I was under...I'm sorry, baby sis…"

Leni walks out into the hallway and sighs. She shuts Lucy's bedroom door and looks down toward the hallway. At Lincoln's door.

She slowly walks up to Lincoln's door, keeping steady. Living here so long, she knew every loose nail and every squeaky floorboard. She gets up to Lincoln's door and rested her hand on the knob and stops. She slowly turns the knob, realizing its unlocked. Confused, Leni opens the door slowly and once she gets a view inside she turns white.

In the middle of the room, sitting in the chair usually by the desk, was Lily. Not just that, but she was wide awake, legs crossed and with a gun pointed right at Leni. Leni looks around to see Lincoln was snoring on the bed, fast asleep. However, Lily looked like she refreshed, staring the sharpest and heaviest of daggers at the young female stranger at the door.

"L-Lily..?" Leni said.

"Lincy is sleeping…I don't want you you wake him…" Lily said in a hushed but serious voice.

Leni slowly nodded her head.

"I-I understand.." Leni said. "I-I was just checking on-"

"He's fine" Lily butted in. "He hasn't been sleeping, so I want to help him sleep…"

"L-Lily, why do you have a...uh.." Leni started but couldn't finished.

"Maybe you should get some rest, 'mom'..." Lily said coldly.

Leni slowly started to shut the door.

"No one likes a tattletale…'mom'..." Lily said as Leni was shutting the door.

"I...I won't say anything. G-Goodnight…" Leni said as she shut the door.

Leni backed away from the door until she got to the steps. She sighs and walks down the stairs into the living room and to her mother's old room, which has been her room as of late. Leni walks into the room and locks the door behind her. She looks at her bed to see a few bits of clothing. An extra pair of gloves, a tacky pair of watermelon socks, and a scrub outfit for nurses. She picks them all up and throws them into the closet and sits on the foot of the bed, staring at the wall.

"How long...can I pretend before they notice I'm aware..?" Leni thought to herself.

"How long...can I be aware..so I can save him..?"


	9. HER (Pt 1)

"Lincy! Lincy! It's time to wake up!"

Lincoln's eyes slowly opened and allowed the harsh bright light of the day to soak in and nest within his eye sockets, giving an airy inhale of pain and annoyance. He looks straight ahead with his eyes still taking a moment to adjust to see he fell asleep on his side and had a slanted view of the far wall where his desk resigned. As she tugged on the cover a bit, trying to escape the light, he realized there was something heavy rested on top of him. Lost in the glow, he realized it's best to investigate the hindrance. He slowly turns his head to the top the bed to see Lily was sitting on top of him, giving him a gentle smile. Lincoln was stuck with happiness for a moment to see her with a sign of glee on his sister's face, he couldn't help but smile himself.

"Hey, kid…" Lincoln said dryly with a smile.

"Hi, Lincy" Lily said with a positive smile. "How are you?"

Lincoln took his hand and balled it to a loose fist and popped his neck and stretched his arms.

"Better" he said straining.

Lily gave a slight yawn which caused Lincoln to take notice.

"Oh, Lily" Lincoln started. "You didn't get that much sleep?"

Lily looked to her right for a moment.

"I'm okay…" she said as she keeps that smile on her face.

Lincoln wasn't sure he believed her.

"Are you sure? If you're still sleepy, you can take a little nap and-" he started.

She quickly leans in and kisses her brother on the forehead. Lincoln is taken aback but noticed Lily was just being sweet and playful. Lincoln lifts his body forward and hugs her close and sighs.

"I love you" Lincoln said.

"I love you too, Lincoln" Lily said honestly.

As the embrace ended, Lincoln yawns and scratched his messy long hair as Lily hops off the bed to walk toward the desk. As Lincoln's eyes begin to properly adjust, he noticed Lily was already all dressed up and was getting something from the the desk. Lincoln wasn't sure what, but knowing her, he had a guess. Lily was returning to the side of the bed with two pills in one hand and a small plastic cup of water in the other. Lincoln shoots a rather shameful look, which causes Lily to keep her gentle smile. She stands right next to him with his medicine while Lincoln tries to look away from her hands.

"Lincy, you know you have to take them" she said as nicely as she could.

Lincoln chuckles.

"You know...for a little sister, you act more like an older sister or a mom more than anything" he joked.

Lily took that as a compliment.

"I guess" she said. "But who's going to take care of you if I wasn't here?"

"Isn't taking care of you my job anyway?" joked Lincoln. "Are you trying to take my job?"

"Just take your medicine, you dummy!" Lily said with a giggle.

Despite hating the fact he had to take his meds, he took the pills from Lily's hand and pops both of them. Lily hands him the water and he drinks them entire thing and sighs. He hands the cup back to her and slowly gets out the bed, only to get hugged by Lily again.

"You know I still love you even though you're sick, right..?" Lily asked, showing a hint of worry.

Lincoln rested his hand on top of her head and light ruffles and pets her hair.

"I know, Lily-bug-I know…" he said sweetly.

Lily lets go and gets on the ground. She slowly rolls under the bed, much to Lincoln's confusion.

"What are you doing?" asked Lincoln.

"Waiting on you to change!" Lily said. "I picked out some clothes for you! Lynn comes home today, remember?"

Lincoln remembered and quickly made a dash for his clothes. He took off the clothes he wore the day before and look at what Lily picked for him. Lincoln put on a white wife-beater and a pair of dark blue jeans with some off brand white low-top skate sneakers. He also throws on a white hoodie with golden scorpion logo on the back and brown finish. He whips his hair a bit until her thought it looked fair enough.

"Okay, you can come out now" Lincoln said as he sprayed a bit of cologne on himself.

Lily rolled from under the bed and looked at Lincoln, smiling happily that he wore everything she picked out.

"Okay" Lincoln started. "Let's brush our teeth and head downstairs together."

Lily waited by the door. Before Lincoln could join her, he felted on his black hoodie that rested on the ground. He realized he didn't want to leave his gun out in the open. However, as he pressed on hoodie, he realized he couldn't feel it. He got lower to check the other pieces of clothes on the ground before a light shine from the window into the room illuminated an object that rest on the floor just sticking out from under his bed. He crawls toward it to find out it was the barrel of the gun. He picked it up slowly and with a very unsure expression. He could have swore he had the gun with him before he slept. He began to wonder if he may have accidently dropped it on the ground at some point in time last night. The thought of one of the girls being able to get in here and finding this made him worry. The idea of Lily possibly getting her hands on it filled him with thoughts of the grimmest kind.

"Lincy?" Lily asked.

Lincoln came back to reality and sighs. He tucks the gun in his hoodie pocket and walks to Lily, only to stop to pick up the pack of smokes he had resting on the floor. He stood by Lily by the door. Lily extends her hand and Lincoln holds it, knowing that Lily was still scared about being here and didn't feel right about venturing around alone. Lincoln slowly opened the door, let's Lily get a feel of safety with him. However as soon as the door is all the way open, Lincoln noticed that the twin's bedroom door is slightly cracked. All the other doors in the hall were closed, but their's were the only one's that were ajar. Lincoln shrugged it off, not wanting it to ruin his day to see Lynn, and started for the bathroom. However as soon as he took a step into the hall, Lola and Lana's bedroom door slams shut. This caused Lincoln to freeze and Lily to hold on to his leg. They stopped moving, feeling the area to see if any more moving a coming their way.

Nothing.

Lincoln and Lily began to walk again for the bathroom, this time, moving faster in their pace to a point where they were right outside the door of the bathroom. However, as Lincoln was about to turn the knob and open the door, the bathroom door slowly opened. Lincoln and Lily back away as someone lowly walked into the hallway from the bathroom.

It was Lucy, who stopped in her tracks as she held the rim of her glove, insinuating she was just putting them back on.

Lincoln studied the jarring appearance of Lucy for what seemed to be ages. The girl was wearing something similar to what she had on the other day, only this time without the collar of her sweater covering her mouth. That along with the part in the middle of her bangs that was fair enough to reveal her eyes. Lincoln was stuck by the mystically alluring eyes of his younger sister. He can't recall the last time he seen her eyes or know if there was even a last time, but the fact he can see them in such a chilling environment filled him uneasy feeling of something sinister was afoot.

Lucy stared at the two for a while for slowly smiling. Each second of the smile forming caused the house to fill colder and the oxygen within it to get thinner. So much so, Lincoln almost felt like he couldn't breathe.

"G-Good morning, Lucy" Lincoln manage to spit out as he felt like he was being choked.

Lily, frightened, merely waved at her.

"Greetings, dear brother…" Lucy said sweetly in her softened grim delivery. "Comment allez vous ce matin?"

Both Lincoln and Lily stopped moving as Lucy tilt her head at them, not sure why they were so quiet.

Lincoln remembered how Lucy was grabbed and dragged away the night before along with the notes she gave him hours before the event took place. Clearly, something happened to her since then. Even though he didn't know what happened, he felt it had something to do with the places he was warned to never enter.

As he stood there in deep thought, Lucy walked closer, causing him to flinch. She kneels down and looks at Lily eye to eye and smiles sweetly at her.

"Bonjour, Lily" Lucy said. "Est ce que tu vas bien?"

"Bonj-" started Lily before freezing. She turns to Lincoln, who looked at her strangely.

Lily refused to speak at that point.

"Lily?" called Lucy. "Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas? Avez-vous oublié ce que je vous ai appris?"

Lincoln wasn't sure where this was going but he backs away and tugs Lily's arm to move back with him. This was a blunt hint to Lucy and caused her to get off the ground and look to Lincoln.

"Lynn returns today, dear brother?" Lucy asked.

Lincoln couldn't think of anything else to do but nod.

"Glad to hear" she responded. "I await her arrival. See you soon, dear Lincoln."

Lucy walks past them to make her way to her room before stopping.

"Adieu, Lily…" Lucy said before the sound of the door shutting softly sounds off with a click.

* * *

Lily walks into the bathroom without a word, making Lincoln worry. Though the exchange was brief, it didn't stop the scene from being concerning. However, Lincoln came to the conclusion he'll have to speak to Lily about this later in private. He walks into the bathroom with Lily and shuts the door, locking it behind him. The sounds of rushing water from the sink is heard.

Downstairs in the living room, on the couch whee Luna, Luan, and Leni. Luna was setting on the right end of the couch toward the door, fiddling with the keys to her car as Luan sat in the middle, studying what looked to be a very old and cobbled together bible. Leni was on the other end of the couch, looking very tired and drained. Luna seemed to be dressed like she was yesterday, only with a different rock shirt. Luan was in a black and gray color swap of her old outfit with a black rose necklace around her neck and minus the gag pink flower she had. She even had her ponytail fashioned into a bun. Leni donned the night gown from the night before, not yet ready to start the day.

Leni looked to her sisters with pity. Seeing their warped minds work only under the twisted spell of what seemed like pure evil crafted unethically by the hands of her siblings and feeling the weighing guilt of what unholy atrocities she herself have committed since this all took place slowly was pushing her sanity. The idea of having to fake treatment longer and longer each time was starting to cause her fear of speaking at times, but thinks her acting is so fair, chances of being detected seems lesser and lesser with each passing day. Leni rubs her temples and sighs.

* * *

"Mother?"

Leni freezes and darts her eyes to her left. It was Luan. Leni thinks fast.

"Yes..my child?" she said in her best motherly voice.

"May I resume my telling of the word?" Luan asked with a smile.

The smile made Leni's body turn to ice but made her face feel like it was on fire. The feeling of bursting into tears fill her mind. However, she was on center stage.

"Yes, my child. Please resume…" Leni said airly.

Luan clears her throat.

"...Consider the lily, how it grows: she will neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even the highest follower in all their false glory are clothed like one of these. "But if He so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into a space of ivory, how much more will He clothe you? You tarts of little faith..." Luan says.

"Abe 12:27-28..." Leni finishes.

Leni looks over to Luan who smile brightly at her. Leni faked a smile for the sake of her but then turns her attentions to Luna, who stared off to the distance as she aggressively fiddles with her keys, showing she had a sense of edge to her. Leni looks to Luan.

"Luan, maybe you should resume your studies upstairs" Leni asked.

"But, mother!" Luan started.

The word mother made Leni shudder.

"Are you speaking against my wishes?" Leni asked.

Luna stopped messing with her keys and darted her eyes to Luan, who began to sweat with the feeling that she has upset her. Luan hopped off the couch and walked upstairs quickly. Leni turns her attentions back to Luna.

"I...know you're upset. But you must remember: she is our family…" Leni said tiredly but honestly.

"She doesn't deserve his love...she doesn't deserve his forgiveness…" Luna said harshly.

"My child-" Leni started.

"She doesn't deserve OUR forgiveness! She's a figure of all that is wrong in the house! She'd never be accepted by the church. She doesn't' deserve his word…" Luna said.

Leni sighs.

"I know you feel that way, but you and I both know that he has a very close relationship with her and you must respect it. She will learn the rules and she will behave...or be punished…" Lei said.

Luna stands up.

"When you saw that heathen….what did you say to her?" Luna asked in an insecure tone.

"Just that we await her arrival…" Leni lied.

"You...didn't tell her about….you know…'her'? Like, at all?" Luna asked.

Leni gives Luna a horrified face.

"I-I'm sorry…" Luna said.

"Don't…" Leni started with tears foaming. "Don't speak about her...I'm not ready yet…"

"Mother, I didn't mean to harm-" Luna started.

"Just go wait for them in the car. I will send them to you once they are down here…" Leni said.

Luna said nothing more and walked out of the living room and out the front door, head hanging low with shame. Leni sniffles and wipes her face, feeling her insides swell up like a time before it all. She tries to regain her composure as the sounds of a door opening and closing are heard. Leni stands and walks to the bottom of the stairs. Lincoln and Lily were walking down the stairs and Lincoln looked to Leni. He was going to give a nervous look before studying her. The young lady was obviously in some type of deep pain. The look of her face was of a woman who truly lost something dear to them. The look was so tragic, Lincoln couldn't help but feel bad as well, even though he didn't know what was wrong. Lincoln and Lily stood at the bottom step.

"Greetings, my beautiful...c-children.." Leni forced out.

The way she said that seemed odd to the two.

"Hello, Leni…" Lincoln said.

Before Lincoln can double down on the fact he called her by her name instead of her new title, Lily says her piece.

"Hi…" she said coldly.

"Greetings, Lily…" Leni said shamefully.

Lincoln noticed the dense air between the two. Before he can ask anything about it, he's derailed once more.

"Luna is in the car...waiting for you two. You may leave when you are ready…" Leni said, trying to keep a fair smile.

Lily walked pass Leni without much of a passing glance out the front door. Lincoln was about to tail her, but stops. He turns to Leni, who kept that pain plastered smile on her face. Lincoln couldn't stand it. He knew there was something more going on with her. He walked to Leni slowly.

"My...my child?" asked Leni. "What's wrong?"

Lincoln said nothing and hugged her. Leni lightly gasped. Lincoln holds onto her tightly. At that moment, there was a sense of pleasant warmth flowing through her; a second wind of life. The young lady wrapped her arms around him and strokes his hair, sniffling as tears fell off her face onto his white mane. The embrace ended and Lincoln dashed out the door for the car. Leni walked onto the porch as the car door of the passenger side shuts. She stands still and watches the car drive down the street. Leni just stood there with tears running down her face, barely able to hold it together as she holds her stomach.

* * *

It was a lush and warm day as the crisp yet harsh sunbeams stuck the earth like daggers. The birds chirp their sweetest chirp from the dense wooded sectors scattered about the stomping grounds of man, echoing against the well-known dominant wails of man made industry. The sky smiles warmly and stably from above.

It was a Wednesday. The month was March. Spring was in its swing upon the newly relaxed masses of the state, under the nectar soaked seduction of the season about warmth, bloom, and fresh beginnings. The time was almost high noon. Though this was lunchtime for some in the formal population, in a neighboring town over on the west, was a young girl in a casual street outfit, pacing up and down the sidewalk in the heat without as much as a bottle of water to go along with her limited belongings in a cheap looking tote bag. The road docking the sidewalk was lightly damp yet freshly paved; no cars from either side of the road sounded off. Only the humid, heavy air lingered and the chit chat of other students being heard from behind the metal piked fence that basically walled out the outside world to the 'teaching facility'.

This girl was Lynn Loud Jr. However, to the institution she was now about to be ejected from, Student 1020-2003.

Lynn was pacing outside the gate that led to the minimum security academy of Manducare Canis Academy for Michigan Juveniles.

As she tracked back and forth, the bleached white light from the sun baked the earth as she stops to survey the dead road. As this happens, she hears the drone hissing of the brakes from the buses as the side gates of the wall, leading into the parking area open, allowing the buses with the many of rag suited juveniles seated, head in various directions to allow society's scum buckets and crooks in training to their state issued community service for a limited amount of time to attempt to enjoy the time outside the brick walls of the school and stitch their tattered psyches with their now jaded 'classmates'. Lynn knew she was one of them.

However, unlike them, she wasn't returning.

However, as half an hour passes, the sounds of honking is heard down the street. Lynn looks down the road to see an black and gold 1977 Odawa Trans CR flying down the street. It makes a quick stop right in front of Lynn, sounding it's arrival with the tire screeching. Lincoln quickly opens the door and pulls his seat forward for Lily to slip out onto the sidewalk. Lily runs to Lynn.

"Lynn!" Lily shouted happily.

Lynn kneels down on the sidewalk with a bright grin on her face as Lily nearly tackles her into a hug. The two held each other tightly. Lynn picks her up and looks her in the eyes.

"With a tackle like that, you should be trying out to be a linebacker!" Lynn joked.

Lily giggled at her while Lynn locks eyes with Lincoln. Lincoln starts walking toward her while Lynn does the same to him. Once the two got close, they both smiled at one another. Lincoln was so happy to she his reform sister out into the world without strings again and Lynn was happy to be home with Lincoln and Lily. Before the two could hug, Luna slams her hand on the horn, prompting them to get to the car. Lily picks up Lynn's tote bag and heads back to the car. Side by side, Lynn and Lincoln walk to the car. Lynn hops in the back with Lily and Lincoln hops in his seat and shuts the door. Before Lynn could even get her seat belt on, Luna slams on the gas, sending Lynn's face into the back of Lincoln's seat. Lynn quickly shakes it off and buckles up.

As Luna drives, she just stares at the road with a stiff face as the other three laugh and talk to one another in the car. Lynn talked about her time inside while Lincoln talked about what it was like living with their father and stepmother. Lily talked to Lynn about a cute cartoon that came on television at the time. She wasn't totally sure what it was about, but she was so into it and was passionate with how she explained it, Lynn and Lincoln couldn't help but find it precious how excited the girl was about it. Luna couldn't help herself. Hearing how happy they were made her smile. Sure, there was still an unsaid bitterness towards Lynn, but seeing and hearing how happy she was making them just made her heart skip a beat. However, the more she thought about it, the idea of envy creeps in. The fact it wasn't her being the reason Lincoln was happy and why Lily was excited started to bother her. She's done some wrong in the past herself and doesn't claim to be a saint, however she was hoping by this time, Lincoln would have accepted and forgiven her for her misdeeds from before and welcome her back into his life with open arms. She even invited him to come with her to get Lynn as a sign of good faith. However, in her eyes, Lincoln was still shutting himself off and shelving himself from her. Not letting her in. Not letting her try. Not letting her love him the way he needed to be loved. The way she believed he needed to be loved.

At this point, the laughter and talking became white noise. Luna was just dumbfounded and felt cheated. She was told he'd love and respect her-forgive her. That everything was going to be okay as long as she kept to the faith. She was told it wouldn't happen overnight, however she was hoping to see some sign that everything was moving forward. Maybe it was the flub at dinner about the basement. She wanted to blame herself for the mix up, but she knew she was just doing as the word says: Obey the Mother, Trust the Son, and Serve the Chosen. Yet Lincoln isn't really speaking to her. The car ride over was so quiet, you can her a insect's microscopic death scream. Luna was hoping Lincoln would try to make contact, but won't even look her in the eye. Lily is no different, as if she sense the need to follow her brother's cautious mannerisms. Luna couldn't help but feel betrayed and lost. To feel powerless and broken. To feel unloved and labelled.

"Luna?"

Luna snaps out of it.

"Y-Yes, dear brother?" Luna said in an awestruck tone.

Lincoln just blinks.

"I...didn't call you" said Lincoln.

"O-oh…" Luna said. "What did you need, Lily?"

Lily grew quiet. Luna looked at her rear view to try to get her sights on Lily, but Lily caught on to what she was doing and moved out of view, hurting Luna's feelings in the process.

"Lynn called for you" Lincoln said.

"Oh" Luna said dully.

Lynn chuckles nervously while Luna sighs.

"What is it?" Luna replied coldly.

Lynn was kinda shook by her tone.

"What's with the gloves?" Lynn asked.

"Why does it matter?" Luna answered bluntly.

Lynn got quiet. Lincoln looks to Luna and sighs.

"Luna…" started Lincoln.

Luna smiles again.

"Yes, dear brother..?" Luna replied sweetly.

Lynn gave a very insulted face and looks to Lily for confirmation. Lily only shrugged.

"I know you're upset with her, but she's still our sister. If we're going to live in harmony back home, you guys are gonna have to try and get along…" Lincoln whispered.

Luna sighs.

"I know, Lincoln. But that's easier said than done…" Luna answered softly.

"Just try to give her a chance. Please? For me at least?" asked Lincoln.

Luna was torn by this.

"If it makes you feel better, I promise me and you can sit down and talk. One on one. Just me and you" Lincoln said.

Luna's eyes lit up, causing Lincoln move away a little.

"O-Okay...I'll try…" she answers back.

Lynn heard what was being said, which made her ease up a bit. Lincoln then pulls up his phone and types a few things before putting it up. About five minutes of silence, Lincoln's phone buzzed. He quickly checks it and puts the phone back in his pants pocket.

"Hey, Luna. You mind dropping us off at Canal Street?" Lincoln asked.

Lynn and Lily looked at one another. Luna was curious about the question.

"Why do you need to go there of all places?" asked Luna curiously.

"I just want to properly catch up with Lynn with Lily. They get along very well and I think Lily just want to enjoy her to herself and I know the area well" Lincoln whispered to Luna. "Don't worry; we'll be back in a few hours."

"I-I dunno if I should leave you.." said Luna. "With her…"

Lincoln pulls out his phone.

"Maybe I could call Leni and ask-" started Lincoln.

Luna panics.

"No! Don't call mom!" Luna yelled in fear.

The car got quiet.

"But...he said Leni…" Lynn said.

Luna shakes her head.

"R-Right. L-Leni. I-I suppose you know you're way. I'll drop you off" Luna said with a sheepish chuckle.

Ten minutes of driving later, Luna pulls up next to the canal and Lincoln, Lynn and Lily hop out of the car. Luna shoots nervous looks at Lincoln.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, I swear. We'll be back later" Lincoln assure her.

"Oh...okay…" said Luna somberly.

Lincoln couldn't help himself to leave her like that.

"Hey, Luna?" said Lincoln.

"Yes, dear brother?" she replied.

"Dear brother…?" muttered Lynn.

"I...love you" Lincoln said.

Luna's face lit up and her smile returned in full force.

"I love you too!" she said excitedly. "My the son be with you!"

Luna puts the car in drive and heads down the road, leaving a large cloud of smoke behind her as she speeds off.

"The son?..." Lynn asked.

"Don't ask…" groaned Lincoln. "I don't even know."

The three slipped past a hole that was cut within the chain link fence and onto the flat area where a dying patch of grass resigned. Lily stood and watched as the water traveled below and Lynn found one of the plastic milk crates to sit on. Lincoln lights a cigarette, much to Lynn surprise.

"What are you doing?!" Lynn shouted.

"This? This is what you want to question? Not the reason I brought you out here?" Lincoln asked with a chuckle.

"Yes! Uh...no! Wait-why are we here?" asked Lynn.

Lincoln takes a drag as Lily walks over to him. He blows the smoke in the air, away from the child.

"You'll find out soon enough…" Lincoln said.

"Oh, God…" said a voice.

"By soon, I mean now…" He said with a sigh.

Lynn turns her head to see speed walking from the long way around was Ronnie Anne. Lynn hops to her feet and walks up to her. The two meet up face to face, shooting murderous looks at one another. Lincoln just stares at them. The two girls look at Lincoln at the same time.

"Why the hell you invited her?!" the shouted at him in unison.

Lincoln takes another drag and exhales a light puff of smoke.

"We may have a problem on our hands…" Lincoln said.

"Wait-what?" Lynn said.

"What kind of problem..?" Ronnie Anne asked.


	10. HER (Pt 2)

"I'll tell you everything I know so far but…well, I think you two may want to take a seat first" Lincoln said as he takes a quick and harsh drag of his cigarette.

The two girls looked at him with hints of worry, realizing the situation may be more dire than he was trying to play it. They then looked at one another with bitter faces, looking like they were on the verge of striking each other with their silent rage that's been brewing inside since their last fight. However, the situation caused both of them to put a tack in their pettiness so the two girls walk in opposite directions from each other to look around the areas for something to sit on. Along the fence, there was a red plastic milk crate with a dip in the bottom that caved inward. She grabs it and lugs it back to Lincoln while Ronnie Anne manages to find a dusty empty paint bucket along the fence where Lily was standing and staring at the water. They both return and sit the objects down at the same time and looked into each other's eyes, hoping the other one was making a move, only to be disappointed to find out they were on the same level of thought. They both sit down in their mix match chairs and look at Lincoln, wondering just how bad Lincoln's account was going to be.

Lincoln looks towards Lily for a second.

"Lily-bug?" he said sweetly.

Lily turns her head.

"Yes, Lincy?" she replied.

"Try to stay away from the edge. I don't want you falling in there" Lincoln said.

Lily didn't argue. She didn't second guess his judgement. She moved away from the edge to a safe distance and played along the fence. The girl soon finds a lone stick and began to rattle it along the fence, making a clunky series of sounds and smiling about it. Lynn and Ronnie Anne groaned in unison at the annoying pinging and rattling as one would, but they looked to Lincoln to see him smiling. The two felt..something. A warmth. They stared at him. The boy was just lost in a world of roses and sweet rain watching his little sister enjoy herself with the simplest toy. He watches over her with that expression like a proud father. The calm, caring look in his stance made the girls feel a sense of ease. Lincoln looks to them before looking at the carefree child again to shake his head, trying to snap out of it. He looks at the girls and laughs a little.

"Sorry about that...it's just that…" Lincoln started.

Lynn puts up her hand and sighs with a smile.

"You know I understand completely" Lynn said, feeling almost just as proud as he did.

Ronnie Anne gave Lincoln a bashful look, not wanting to show cracks in her hard exterior.

"Uhh...h-how about that explanation, lame-o?" asked Ronnie Anne without trying to sound shy.

Lynn looked at Ronnie Anne like she was going to eat through her neck to snip her jugular before Lincoln cleared his throat loudly.

"A-As you may know" he starts. "Me and Lily are living back at home because of my dad's passing."

They both nodded, Lynn looking rather upset by the news being unearthed again.

"So, with my stepmom off to….whenever the hell she went and my mom in rehab, there was nowhere else to go but back home. As soon as we get there, weird shit happens…"

Lynn looks to Lincoln with worry and Ronnie Anne could only raise her eyebrow.

"Weird shit like what?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"Yeah. Explain" Lynn said.

"Well, for starters, how about Lori picks me up dressed like a poet and talking like a cult member? How about when I get home, the twins are dressed like they were going to a funeral and they now talk French? I mean, French? Of all things-French. T-That really creeped me out. Not as much as Lana's singing-by the way, she sings now- and Lola's weird ass outburst. Oh, yeah! Leni! How can I forget about MAMA Leni! That's right-ya gotta call her 'mom' or 'mother' now because I don't freaking know! How about the fact we had this creepy ass family dinner by ominous candle light?! Who does that to welcome people back home?! That's not welcoming-I felt threatened! Didn't help that I had to hear Bible verses-in French! The food was smelling weird, I come back to find out Lucy has weird hole scars on her lips and watched her get dragged into her room by hands and Lana crawling around and singing in the vents and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Lynn said as she threw her hands up. "What the hell?! Is all that really happening?!"

Ronnie Anne stared at him with disbelief.

"S-Something happened to Lu-Lu..? I-I mean, Lucy?" asked Ronnie Anne with her hands over her mouth.

Lincoln inhales sharply.

"Yes. This morning, after she got dragged, she was acting...weird. Like, she was a robot reprogrammed. She was speaking French and carrying on and it creeped me out. I dunno what they did to her-" Lincoln started.

"And you just let them drag her away and you did nothing?!" Ronnie Anne shouted.

Lincoln sighed.

"I-I didn't know what to do…" Lincoln said.

"You could have fought back!" Ronnie Anne yelled.

"Santiago-" Lynn said harshly.

"No! It's your sister too! Aren't you a little bit mad?!" she asked Lynn.

Lynn had no answer.

Ronnie Anne hops off the bucket and walks up to Lincoln.

"You couldn't fight them?! W-With a broomstick? O-Or a hammer?! Or a screwdriver, for Christ sakes?! O-Or...or...or!" said a heated Ronnie Anne.

Lincoln pulls out his gun out of his pocket which caused both of the girls to stop moving entirely.

"Or with this?" he asked. "You think it's just as easy as shooting my sisters, huh?" asked Lincoln.

Ronnie Anne walked backwards toward the bucket and sat back down. Lincoln sighs and puts the gun in his jacket pocket.

"L-Lincoln!" started Lynn, red in the face with anger. "Why do you have that?! I-Is that's-"

"The gun I gave Luna…" Ronnie Anne answered meekly.

"Look, I didn't ask you to come with me to flash a gun at you and bitch about my home life. I did it because I think, according to Lucy before she...changed, you are the only ones I can trust. You two and Lily are all I have. I need you to help me find out what's happening at the house" Lincoln said with a sense of guilt in his tone.

The girls looked around, not sure how to approach this request.

"Linc…" Lynn said. "I don't know...Are you positive this is for real? Not some big joke? Are you sure they're still messed up in the head like that?" Lynn asked.

Lincoln groans.

"No joke goes this fair, Lynn!" Lincoln barked.

Lily stopped what she was doing to look at the yelling Lincoln. None of the older three take notice of her attention.

Ronnie Anne, anxious as can be, looks to Lincoln with concern.

"This seems...too out there, Lincoln" Ronnie Anne says.

"I have to agree with Santiago on this one…" Lynn added. "Are...you sure you weren't having an episode?"

Lincoln stared at Lynn.

"Lynn, don't…" Lincoln said.

Lynn realized her flaw and as her mouth dropped.

"I-I'm just saying You hear voices and see weird stuff when you have one and do things without knowing a-and that could be the reason-" Lynn started.

"I know for a fact it wasn't a goddamn episode!" Lincoln shouted.

Lily covers her face, frightened by Lincoln's sudden shift.

"Calm down! I-I wasn't trying to-" Lynn started.

"Have you forgotten what it was like for me after everything that happened when I got back home? Do you have any idea the toll it took on my mind? The therapy trips, the murmurs between dad and my stepmom, the looks I got from the people on the street-the bathtub incident, Lynn!" Lincoln snapped.

"I-I know but-" Lynn tried to double back.

"You of all people should know what craziness have gone on in that house and now you want to say it's impossible?! Then blame my illness?! I don't need you to play doctor-I need your help!" he nearly screamed.

Lily bent down and held her head, afraid of Lincoln's tone. The idea of her older brother, who she adored, in such pain hurt her. The only thing she felt she could do is hum. As Lincoln get red in the face, upset the two girls he thought would understand stare at him with such skepticism, he stops to hear the humming and freezes. Lynn and Ronnie Anne noticed the song as well noticing Lincoln's ghastly reaction.

"Uh...Linc? Bro?" asked Lynn.

"Are you okay?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Lincoln stared at the fearful Lily and walked over to her without saying a word. He slowly approached Lily, leaving Ronnie Anne and Lynn alone with each other. Lincoln get within a few feet of the young girl.

"L-Lily?" Lincoln asked softly.

Lily stops humming.

"What...song is that…?" asked Lincoln, already knowing the answer.

"I..I think Over The Rainbow…" Lily answered.

"Did...Lana teach you that song?" Lincoln asked.

"Lucy did...it made me feel better…" Lily answered.

"Shit…" thought Lincoln to himself.

* * *

As Lincoln speaks with Lily, Lynn and Ronnie Anne stare at the ground and then to each other, thinking about everything Lincoln experienced since he's moved back. Though his account is wild and pretty odd, Lynn figured something was very wrong with Luna in the car. Than she remembered the weird visit with Leni a month ago. Something in her head wanted to connect the dots, but something about it was still missing. Ronnie Anne also wanted to believe Lincoln, but knew he's been through a lot and doesn't know how clouded his mind was due to his illness. However, the event with Bobby running away to the army and when Lori appeared at her house and freaked out her mother started to form an opinion.

"So" Lynn started. "I think I'm going to help him."

"You think there's truth to it?" asked Ronnie Anne.

"I don't know, but just...some stuff happened recently when I saw some of my sisters and he may have seen something off there. I think it's smart we take his word" Lynn said. "I lost him before...I don't wanna lose him again especially when this time I can redeem myself…"

A thought popped in Ronnie Anne's head.

"Do….you think that's why he wants to do this?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"What do you mean?" replied Lynn.

"Well, think about it" Ronnie started. "Any sane person who saw what he saw would have ran away or shot everyone on the spot or called the cops or something like that. I think...I may be wrong, but I think he's doing it to redeem himself."

"Why would he have to redeem himself?" Lynn asked.

"Because he left the first time…" Ronnie Anne said.

"I TOLD him to give up on us-" Lynn started.

"Which is why he's doing this…think about it" Ronnie Anne said. "Lincoln isn't the type to quit until there's a happy ending. No matter what painful turn or embarrassing thing that could happen to him, he'd do it for the sake of others. He ran away. He might feel guilty and wants to try again...maybe it'll help his mental state a bit if we help resolve it."

Lynn pondered and sighs.

"That means we have to pretend to like each other…" Lynn said.

"We can kill each other after we do this" Ronnie Anne said. "For Lincoln?"

Ronnie Anne extends her hand to Lynn, hoping for her to grasp it and shake her to seal the deal. Lynn reaches out slowly and shakes her hand.

"For my Lincoln and nothing more…" Lynn said.

Ronnie Anne stares at Lynn. Lynn takes notice and looks at her strangely.

"What?" Lynn asked.

"Did you say…'my' Lincoln?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Lynn said nothing.

"Lynn...are you still-" Ronnie Anne started.

"He's coming-hush" Lynn said.

Lincoln walks back over with another square in his fingers and lights it. Lynn and Ronnie Anne look at one another and put on some fake but fair smiles.

"Okay, Lincoln. What's the plan?" Ronnie Anne asked with forced optimism.

"Wait-wha?" said Lincoln with the cig in his mouth.

"We came to a discussion that we wanna help. We...dunno how deep this is but we trust you…" Lynn said with a nervous grin.

Lincoln knew they were faking. They seemed to be horrible liars. However, he had their attention so he feels this is better than nothing.

"Okay, the best way to know for sure what is happening, at least to me, is to go to the no-go zones" Lincoln said.

The girls loose smiles fade to faces with balled confusion.

"Wha?" they said in unison.

"Well, before Lucy got dragged off, she gave me a note that said not to go into the basement, the garage and the attic. So, we need to check those places out"

"The….attic?" asked Lynn.

"That was my brother's room when he stayed there…" said Ronnie Anne.

"Right" said Lincoln. "So, Lynn would take the attic. You take the garage, Ronnie. I will take on the basement. I think that's the hardest area of the house. Well, that and finding a time for us to do any of this…"

"We can plan something. Right now, we should be getting home" Lynn said.

"Yeah. Ronnie, keep your cell close by. You never know what time window we could be working with" Lincoln said as he flicks the butt into the water below.

Ronnie Anne nods and Lincoln walks to get Lily. Lynn and Ronnie Anne watched as the child latches on to her older brother. Lynn walks behind them as the three go through the hole in the fence, out of the ditch and onto the sidewalk. They start walking. As they walk away, Ronnie Anne lights up a cigar and takes a puff.

"I'm on to you, Lynn...you're just like me…" Ronnie Anne said as she takes out her switchblade. "Only I got three people I'm fighting for…"

The girl stood there and smoked the cigar in solitude.

* * *

As the three make it to the porch after a decent walk, Lynn was about to knock. Lincoln stops her. Lynn gives Lincoln a bitter look like she was about to say something, but Lincoln holds his finger to her lips. The world was silent. As that happened, they heard voices. Lynn heard something coming from the house. Sounds of people talking in a different language before a couple of doors shut in rhythmic order throughout the house. Lynn is rather shocked. Lincoln opened the door and peeked inside to see the house was dark. However, not completely.

In the living room, the television is on but is only playing a odd music channel. A French one. The three quietly snuck their way up the stairs and into the hall. It's dark and like before, all the doors are shut. Lynn made an attempt to open the door to her bedroom only to be stopped by Lincoln. They freeze. The light sounds of footsteps walking away from the door is heard. Lynn begins to shake a bit. Lincoln leads her and Lily into his room and shut the door, locking it quietly behind them. Like before, Lincoln started to barricade his door, assuring safety.

"Let's just rest up. We need to stay fresh to keep up in here" said Lincoln.

"Wha…what is happening…?" asked Lynn.

"Welcome home, Lynn Loud…" Lincoln said as he laid on the bed, shutting his eyes.

Lynn found it rather alarming he didn't take off the hoodie or kicked off his shoes of anything of the sort. She was fearful and sat at the edge of the bed and stared at Lincoln. She noticed his long white hair and his body. Wasn't as skinny as before but a tad more built. He still has light rings around his eyes and everything. That and an inviting position for someone to rest beside him. Lynn grabbed her arm like any nervous girl would do. As she did, a familiar feeling began to crawl within her. A craving. A feeling that she wasn't suppose to be feeling. She slowly moved closer. The very idea of it seemed wrong. Everything she promised was being tested. She moves closer. She knew it was wrong. It's what caused her downfall to begin with. Before she can get closer, Lily crawls onto the bed right next to Lincoln, scooting in tightly to feel comfort. Lynn sighs with relief, knowing that the crisis was over. She rested her head on the opposite end of the bed and sighs. She closes her eyes, hoping a nap can help her adapt to the situation at hand.

* * *

Time passes.

A light thud is heard. Lynn slowly opens her heavy eyes to see that the room is dark, suggesting a few hours have passed. She darts her eyes but don't move because what was before her. She was looking at the back of the head of Lily. Who was sitting in a chair and looking towards the door. The little girl was humming and nothing but the soft snores of Lincoln was balancing it. Lynn felt like moving a centimeter wouldn't be good. As she stares she noticed the little girl had something in her hand. Lincoln's gun. Lynn was horrified and confused. Before long, she heard some other noise from above. Lily slowly got out of the chair and Lynn closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. The noise got louder and closer. Like someone was crawling in the vents. However, all that was heard was light rattling along the vents. Not too much longer, the noise sounded like it was going away, thudding to the distance. As Lynn listen in to oddness that has happened, she feels a slight cold sensation on her cheek.

"I know you're awake" said a cold voice.

Lynn opens her eyes quickly to see Lily pressing the gun to her face.

"Don't tell Lincy…" Lily said as she put her finger over her lip.

"I-I won't…" Lynn said in a hushed tone.

Lincoln was still deep in sleep.

"If you don't do anything bad, I'll protect you too…" Lily said.

Lynn nodded.

"Go back to sleep…" Lily said as she walked back to her chair and sat.

Lynn closed her eyes quickly and tightly as tears started to form, feeling the cold steel on her face still. As the girl slowly drifted off to sleep, she heard the most beautiful voice. It was Lily's.

'' _Là-bas renaît lentement l'arc-en-ciel._

 _Pareil à notre amour ardent et presque irréel_

 _vers lui je voudrais partir avec vous_

 _car tout y parait plus charmant plus clair et plus doux..."_

Lynn begins to snore and the song fades to void.


	11. Wrath of Lily

The time was around 11 AM. Lincoln slowly opens his eyes to see the ceiling. He lifted his body from off the bed slowly to look around. He was stunned. All he originally planned to do was take a quick nap and stratigize the plan with Lynn later on, but for some odd reason, the two of them to to have overslept. He looks at the end of his bed to see Lynn was all bundled up nice and neat like a newborn. The girl was peacefully asleep, hugging against her pillow and crawled up, most likely enjoying the comfort of being outside of the academy. Lincoln couldn't help but smile at the sight, feeling a sense of happiness to see his sister home and safe. He looked to his desk to see Lily was there, once again with Lincoln's medicine and water. Lincoln felt refreshed and didn't mind the fact he had to take his medicine. He sits upright and stretches his arms as far as he could, popping a few bones in his back as he does so. The boy slowly crawls over toward the sleeping Lynn and lightly taps her. The girl doesn't move. Nothing but the quiet snoring, which confused Lincoln, considering that Lynn is known to snore as loud as a bear.

Lincoln tried again, this time light poking at her nose. Lynn's eye's began to flutter and focus as he does this. She soon becomes aware of the world in motion and rubbed her eyes with a corner of the cover she was wrapped in. She slowly turns her head to see Lincoln is nearly on top of her. She quickly turns read as a cherry and wakes up with a yelp. Lincoln wasn't sure if he scared her or what the case may be. Lynn looks at the boy with a flushed face.

"W-What was that about?!" Lynn demanded.

"Uh...I was just waking you up…?" Lincoln asked, holding a lost look on his face.

Lynn catches herself and calms her mind with some simple deep breathing.

"Sorry about that. I-I didn't mean to get all jumpy…" Lynn said.

"It's fine" Lincoln said with a chuckle. "We overslept. Big time."

Lynn peeks at Lincoln's bedroom window to notice a stray beam of light flowing inside.

"Did...we slept through most of the evening and STILL woke up late?" asked Lynn.

"Yep" Lincoln said bluntyly.

"That...makes no sense-why did we sleep so long?" Lynn asked.

Before Lincoln could even get a word in on the very question, Lily walks up to the bed with the cup of water and his medicine and greets him with a sweet smile. Lincoln takes the pills and water. He throws them down his throat and sips the water to help them down. Lincoln smiles at the child and pats her head. Lynn waved at Lily, in hopes of getting her attention. Lily turns her head away from Lincoln's line of sight and shoots a icy stare with no visible expression. The face was so deadpan and unmolded, the sight of it made Lynn freeze up. Lily takes the cup from Lincoln without turning her head to him and walks to the desk. Lincoln wasn't sure what to make of the lack of eye contact, but Lynn saw it as if she was just given the face of death.

Lincoln begins to take off his hoodie from the day before, which cause Lynn to pause her motion. She watches as it seemed Lincoln was about to take off his shirt, causing a thin stream of saliva to trail down the side of her mouth, hungering like a feral beast in the wilderness. Before this unneeded peep show could float on, Lily quickly turns to Lincoln and sniffles loudly. Lincoln freezes and looks at a sad looking Lily.

"Aww…" he said. "What wrong, Lily?" asked Lincoln.

Lily shyly points at the door and crossed her legs. This help Lincoln come up with an idea of what she wanted.

"You have to use the restroom, huh?" asked Lincoln.

Lily nodded.

Lincoln turns to Lynn.

"Hey, Lynn" he started. "Mind doing me a solid and take Lily to the bathroom? She's kinda scared of walking in this house by herself."

* * *

Lynn, silently upset that Lincoln dropped everything he was doing, groans and agrees to do what he asked. Lynn opened the door into the hall and Lily walked out. Lynn shuts the door to Lincoln's room, hearing the lock turn on the the other side, and walks beside Lily to the bathroom in the eerily quiet hallway. Lynn walked and noticed that all the doors in the hall were shut. It was so quiet, Lynn bet to herself she could hear a pin drop. The two make it toward the bathroom. Lynn opens the door and tries to post up outside the bathroom door, but Lily pokes her leg. She gives Lynn the stare again, causing Lynn to feel nervous. Lynn didn't understand why she would be so nervous of her younger sister, but that face alone screams troubling things. Lynn is walked into the bathroom with Lily. Lily sighs and sits on the toilet and looks at Lynn with her legs crossed.

Lynn was lost of words.

"Uh...hi?" Lynn said.

"Hello…" Lily replied coldly.

Lynn laughs sheepishly.

"Geez, kid-you know how to make a girl feel welcome…" Lynn tried to joke.

Lily sits there without a response. Lynn was still very confused with Lily's switch between how she spoke to Lincoln versus how she spoke to her. Not to mention last night Lily was taking first watch at the door with Lincoln's gun and had it pressed to her face. Lynn took a knee and sighed, heart racing as she looked at the intimidating child.

"L-Lily…" Lynn started.

"Yes?" Lily answered, still keeping a deadpan expression.

"I don't know what's wrong with you and why you're doing the things you are doing but I just….I dunno…I feel like you're hiding something. I-I know Lincoln said the house is, but so are you..." Lynn said.

Silence.

Lily giggles. Lynn sucked her lips into her mouth, feeling cold and trembling like a battered dog.

"Get fucked, Lynn…" Lily said coldly.

Lynn just gasped.

"Where did you learn to speak like that?!" Lynn demanded.

Lily scoffs.

"You really think I'll let that stand?" said Lily in a monotone delivery. "No. Because I saw it, Lynn. I saw and heard everything you did."

Lynn backs away from Lilly and backs into the wall.

"W-What are you talking about?" Lynn asked frighteningly.

"Now who's hiding things..?" Lily asked with a smile. "I heard you the other day talking to Ronnie Anne when you made that unfortunate slip up. When she called you out on it, you disregarded that."

Lynn thought of an answer.

"I-I only meant it as a brother-sister thing. Nothing wrong with that" Lynn tried to say with a crack in her voice.

"That's a lie…" Lily started. "I was able to hear how serious you were in your tone…"

"I was just trying to pound the facts were they needed to be pounded!" Lynn said.

"That isn't all" Lily said. "I saw you scooting closer and closer to Lincoln last night as he fell asleep in a clear wanting to touch and stare at him. What was that about?"

"I was...wondering how long his hair has gotten…" Lynn lied terribly.

"That's a lie" Lily said. "What about after our conversation last night?"

"Last night?" Lynn mumbled.

"You were sleeping and you were saying 'I love you, Lincoln' in ya sleep" Lily said coldly.

"I...I still do that..?" muttered Lynn before looking to Lily to see she was very displeased by the comment.

"I mean, I'm not what you think I am, Lily. Honest. You got it all wrong-" Lynn started.

"Stop. Lying. To me…" Lily demanded.

Lynn stops speaking. Lily gets off the bowl and walks up to Lynn and lowers her head.

"When Lincoln came to live with us, I barely remembered him…" Lily started. "He was broken. He was sad. He was empty. He felt like he had no one. I felt the same way. They way we reconnected felt so pure. So right. He cares for me and I care for him. We were team. Then he got sick...his brain...it doesn't work right anymore, daddy told me. He said Lincoln is going to sick like this for a while. So, I said I'd be his nurse. I will always protect him like he's been protecting me. He's all I have left…"

Lynn is shocked to hear Lily say all of this.

"Lily, I didn't know…" Lynn said.

Lily stared at Lynn with a tear in her eye.

"Daddy told me what he did. I didn't care about that….because he told me what the rest of you did when he brought him home…" Lily said harshly.

Lynn got quiet.

"That's why I hate it here. He made a mistake and you all broke him. You all hurt him. You all made him sick and I don't know if he'll ever get better!" Lily said.

"L-Lily-" Lynn started.

"No! You messed him up and I don't know how to help! I seen these people and they are sick. I don't know what's making them sick, but there's something wrong! Lincoln told you and you don't even believe him! When YOU are one of the people who made him sick! Y-You jerkface!" Lily nearly shouted.

Lynn grows quiet and looks down as Lily backs away and looks away from her.

"That's why I stay awake and stay near him...I'm all he has and he's all I have...I don't want to be alone again. Without mom or dad, I'm more scared than ever. If I…"

Lynn looks to her sister with a defeated face and loose posture. Lily turns back to Lynn with a blank, soulless face.

"If I have to kill you-any of you-to protect him, I'll do it without a thought. They are the enemy until proven otherwise…" Lily said with malice. "Are you an enemy, Lynn…?"

Lynn looks back up with tears running down her face.

"N-No, Lily...I-I promise I'm not…" Lynn said.

Lily sighs.

"Good. I know what you done in this house and to everyone because of your…'illness'...and I'll let it pass. But if you do something like that again, I'll have no choice but put you down. Don't hurt my brother again, Lynn...or I'll have to hurt you…" Lily said bluntly. "Understood?"

Lynn nods.

"Let's hope that school taught you something…" Lily said as she walks up to the toilet and flushes it.

Lily turns on the sink and tosses Lynn a cloth from the rack, hinting her to wash her face and clear her tears before seeing Lincoln again. Lynn wasted no time damping the cloth and wipe her face. Lily sat on the toilet, silently waiting on the sniveling Lynn to finish up. Lynn finishes up and folds the cloth into a square and ring it out. She sits the damp rag on the side of the sink, usually reserved for soap. Before she could open the door, Lily stops her.

"Remember: this conversation never happened…" Lily said.

Lynn didn't look at her. She felt the soaking shame over her and just nodded, feeling the old guilt she tried to bury unearthed. Before the two properly exit, Lynn speaks up.

"Lily…" started Lynn.

"Yes?" Lily answered.

"Why...were you singing in French last night?" asked Lynn. "Lincoln mentioned something about the others doing that and-"

"Let's just get back to the room…" Lily said, not giving her sister her answer.

The two walk into the hall and began to walk only for Lily to stop. Lynn turns to Lily, wondering what was her problem now. Lily slowly turned her head to the left to see something chilling. The bedroom door of Luan and Luna was cracked.

"Something is wrong…" Lily said as she quickly walks to Lincoln's bedroom door. She turns the knob of the door and her eyes widen. He was gone.

Lynn looked into the room to see that his clothes from the other night rested on the floor.

"Where did he..?" Lynn said.

Lily said nothing and made a dash for the stairs. Lynn quickly comes up behind her as Lily makes it within a few steps from the front door before Lynn snatches her up. Lily struggles and tries to wiggle out of Lynn's hold all while Lynn is telling her to calm down. Lily tries to pry and pinch at Lynn's arms, hoping she'll let go, only to find she had a strong will to her.

"My, my…" said a voice. "What is happening here?"

Both Lily and Lynn froze for a second. Lynn, with Lily in her arms, turns around to face the living room to find a chilling surprise.

The room has the rest of the family inside. Lori, Leni, Luan, Lucy, Lana, Lola, and Lisa. All were wearing the same gray and black color scheme with their clothing, all looked like well dressed corpses, and all were smiling, minus Leni.

"Bonjour, chères sœurs!" the girls said.

"Oh…" Lily started.

"Shit…" Lynn finished.

* * *

In the busy Teal-Mart parking lot, Luna sighs as she puts the car in park. Lincoln is in the passenger seat, looking over her list of things she had to buy. Lincoln looks at the list with an odd expression. Luna stares off into the pack lot where people of all shapes and sizes and color go to the superstore, finding a sense of peace watching other commoners do the obvious and mundane. However, the girl was indeed using the people watching as a masking of her chipping armor.

"Salmon, kobe beef, pierogies, Purple Pow drink mix, lamb-how can you guys afford this stuff?" asked Lincoln.

Luna doesn't say anything.

"I mean, I get Lori has a nice paying job and all, but kobe beef is still pretty freaking pricey. Not to mention, this is a weird list…" Lincoln resumed.

Luna turns to him and says nothing. Lincoln didn't notice as he studied the list more.

"A nail gun, some mouse traps, nutmeg, some...Valium..and some...white paint...cookie dough-okay, now this list is all over the place" Lincoln said, annoyed by the structure.

Luna quickly locks the doors of the car, causing Lincoln to be a tad lost in that action. He slowly tries to open his door only to see the door was indeed locked and the lock knob on the door was missing. Lincoln gets still and starts to sweat.

"I….have some concerns…" Lincoln said, trying not to scream.

"You promised me we can talk, right?" asked Luna.

"Y-Yeah, but I didn't say when that-" Lincoln started.

"We have to speak now...I don't know how much time I'll have…" Luna said.

Lincoln pauses and looks at her.

"Now I have more concerns…" Lincoln said.

"That's why I asked you to come with me here earlier. We do have to get all that stuff, but I know this public setting was proper. You should be more comfortable here, Lincoln…" Luna added.

Lincoln's brow raised.

"What? No 'dear brother' this time?" he joked nervously.

Tears slowly flowed down Luna's face as Lincoln looks at her with shame, feeling the joke was too much.

"Lincoln, I have to tell you some stuff…" started Luna. "Some stuff I know...kinda...it's about why everyone are the way they are…"

"What?" Lincoln asked, now wanting to know where this is going. "Luna, please tell me. I really have to know."

"I'll tell you what I can remember…" Luna said.

"Remember..?" Lincoln asked.

"You'll understand...soon enough.." Luna said with a sniffle.


	12. Heads of Ivory

The car grew silent.

Luna oddly returned to staring straight ahead, not saying a word more to Lincoln. Lincoln slowly rolls up the list in a tight roll and sits it gently in the cup holder while looking at his sister. The sounds of the outside world filled the space of the vehicle with the blaring car alarms, idle chatter of active shoppers, and the rusty metallic scraping of the aging shopping carts being racked up and sent back inside. Lincoln stared at her for what seemed like eons. Nothing of importance left her lips other than the occasional sigh. This whole reveal seemed to have hit a stone wall. That seemed to be the case, but then Lincoln drummed up a possible way to get her to talk.

He digs in his pocket and pulls out his box of cigarettes. However, as he opens them, he finds out that all he had lift was one single stick and two half smoked cigarillos. White grape scented. Lincoln takes the two cigarillos out of the box and hands one to Luna. She turns her attention to Lincoln, looking quite surprised to see her younger brother smoking anything, let along a blunt cigar. Luna slowly takes the cigar and nest it between her gloved fingers as Lincoln fumbles around in his pocket for his lighter. He lights his and then hands it to Luna. She lights hers, inhales, and chokes immediately. Luna's expressions and comedic labored gasping for air caused Lincoln to laugh. Luna quickly gets back into the cycle and is able to handle her smoke a bit better. After a few moments of drags and chuckling, Luna started to feel more comfortable again.

"Thanks, bro...I needed that…" she said with a faint smile.

Lincoln sighs.

"It's no big deal, sis" Lincoln said calmly.

Luna takes a drag and sighs, letting the smoke follow it.

"When did you start smoking anyway?" asked Luna.

"Not too long after moving back with dad" Lincoln said. "Staying with you guys and everything that happened...kinda was a strain on my mind, you see…"

"Yeah...I'm...sorry. I'm so sorry about that, Lincoln…" Luna said.

Lincoln noticed something off about Luna for a slip.

"Okay, Luna" Lincoln started. "What's going on?"

Luna looks to Lincoln.

"I know something is up. I mean, what did you have to tell me? Why this weird shopping list? You even been missing your cues to call me 'dear brother' and stuff" Lincoln goes on. "What is happening in that house?"

Luna keeps her sight on Lincoln and sighs.

"Lincoln...I can only tell you what I can remember…" Luna stated.

"You mentioned that, but I still don't know what you mean…" Lincoln said.

"Fine...I'll try to tell you what I can...but you gotta promise me something" she said.

Lincoln sighs.

"Anything" he says.

Luna grabs Lincoln's arm and pulls him close to her.

"I don't know what's real or not anymore, so you better promise me this one thing: Never keep your eyes off Lynn. I don't care how close you think you guys are. I know what she is…" Luna said before letting Lincoln go.

Lincoln was startled by the sudden grab, but managed to pull off a rather half hearted nod. Luna returns to her cigar.

"I think….it happened after you were gone again. You know, the bad stuff" she started. "I remember waking up tied to a chair….I was in the basement, I believe. Couldn't tell-too dark. There was a light hanging from above that shined down on this table. It was creepy, dude. I felt kinda sluggish, so I thought I was knocked out or kidnapped…"

"What made you think that?" asked Lincoln.

"I was….don't be mad, okay?" Luna said.

"It's okay...just tell me what happened" Lincoln answered.

"Well, it was very late that night. I was out in the town, looking for this new dealer. A friend pointed me to this dude after Ronnie Anne got pinched. I-I was having a hard time getting clean. Anyway, I pulled up on...something-Street...and I get shot by something. And then...nothing" Luna says.

Lincoln watches her with worry.

"Anyway, I'm in this basement place or something and then other of nowhere, Lisa was there. She looked pretty pissed, dude. She….she told me that if I wanted to get better, I had to do…..uh, I had to, uh….I can't remember this part" Luna said, looking disappointed.

Lincoln's hair stands up.

"Luna" Lincoln started as he rested his hand on her arm. "This may be very important for me to understand what's happening. You can't remember anything? Anything at all?"

She looks to him for a long time, hoping to think of something. She tears up and shakes her head.

"I-I got nothing, bro…" said Luna sadly. "I remember he saying she could help me. She could fix the family. I don't remember what else she said. I remember darkness….then I woke up in my room. In bed. There was this book...I think it was a bible but…"

"But what?" Lincoln said, hoping to get something more useful from her.

"It seemed wrong. I never read the bible til I saw it. I dunno why I thought it was the greatest thing I ever read, but the bible-all the ones in the house. Something is wrong with them" Luna said, starting to feel a tad stressed about the whole situation.

"Luna, relax. Just tell me what's bothering you about the bibles calmly" Lincoln said as he holds her gloved hand. "Okay?"

The feeling of Lincoln holding her hand in such a tender fashion caused Luna to get calm almost instantaneously.

"O-O-Okay…" Luna said. "T-The books seem to be worded really strangely. Like, I don't remember reading God's name in the chapters. Not only that...there was something else that seemed wrong...I can't remember what."

"Are you sure?" asked Lincoln, patting her gloved hand to console her.

"Wait….There's bits and pieces...I-I just can't map it out right now-this is hopeless!" said the rather discouraged Luna.

Lincoln stops to think.

"Luna...lean your seat back" Lincoln said.

"Wha..?" Luna replied.

"Just trust me, okay?" Lincoln asked.

Luna wasn't sure where Lincoln was getting at, but she nest her cigar in the ashtray and she leans the entire seat back and stares up at the roof inside the car. Lincoln does the same to his seat and holds on to Luna's hand. The two stared upward and Lincoln starts taking some controlled breathes, much to Luna's confusion.

"Uh...what are we doing, bro?" Luna asked.

"We're gonna try something my therapist and I did to get me to remember certain things. She would set back with me in these comfy chairs and I'd look at the ceiling and closed my eyes. Then she'd ask what I remember. She says the way it works is that you have a dark space once your eyes are closed, so nothing keeping you from focusing on those memories. I'm going to hold your hand because I want you to know I'm here for you…" Lincoln said.

Luna's face turns a slight red and she gives him a pleasant smile.

"Thank you, Lincoln…" she said as she closes her eyes.

Lincoln watches as her lids drop.

"Keep them closed and we'll begin in a moment" Lincoln said.

As Luna laid there unaware, Lincoln digs into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He puts in his pin and wastes no time to turn off the volume for everything on his phone. He even temporarily shuts off the vibration for the phone and open up a memo app that he had. Lincoln looked at Luna and frowned. He felt bad having to go through a sad method from his past in order to get useful intell. However, he knew if he was going to save everyone like he wants, he'd had to probe her mind. He sets the phone in his right hand and takes another breath.

"Okay, Luna" he starts. "Tell me what you can piece together."

Luna gets quiet as she strains herself lightly to think.

"I-I can't see anything…" Luna said disappointed.

"No...not this time…" Lincoln thought to himself. "I'm sorry Luna, but I'm not gonna be thrown in the dark again. I need to know what is happening."

"Lincoln?" said Luna with her eyes still closed. "Are you okay? Why so quiet?"

"Uh, sorry" Lincoln quickly says. "I was thinking of a different way to tackle this."

"I'm open to anything, dude…I don't have much time" Luna says.

Lincoln paused.

"And...why is that?" he asked as he get's his thumb ready to type.

"Well, a certain thing I didn't tell you...I'm under a treatment...and these treatments help me...you know, behave. Even me out. Go by the rules-" she went on.

"You mean that scary, smiling, bible French parrot thing you all are doing?" Lincoln asked.

"Uh, yeah...I forgot how the treatment works...and...oh no…" Luna said.

"What?" asked Lincoln.

"The…..box…" Luna said.

Luna slowly tightens her grip on Lincoln's hand. Lincoln began to type what she had said and realized she was starting to shake with what he could only assume to be fear.

"Luna...what is the box?" asked Lincoln slowly

She begins to sweat.

"P-Punishment box-box of ivory. It's where you go if you misbehave. It's cold. It's empty. It's quiet. Nothing is there but you and your thoughts. After a while…..you wish you couldn't think at all…." Luna said with tears forming.

"Luna-" Lincoln said.

"Everything was white. I didn't understand. The room looked so small but if you move around, it's larger than the last time to tried to count your steps…" she resumes.

"Count your steps..?" Lincoln thought to himself.

"Milk…" Luna said with a crack in her voice.

"M-Milk?" asked Lincoln.

"Milk...white rice….salt….on a white paper plate…breakfast, lunch and dinner.." she said.

"Luna, are you-" Lincoln started.

"I scream for them…" Luna said. "I screamed I was sorry... I screamed I wouldn't do it again...I said I'd be behave...but no one could hear me…" Luna said.

Lincoln still didn't understand so he decided to poke at a linking topic.

"Luna, why were you sent to the box?" Lincoln asked.

Luna gasps for air and holds Lincoln's hand hard.

"I-I can't, Linc-" Luna started.

"No-you can. I'm here with you. No one can hurt you. I am here with you" Lincoln said.

Luna sighs.

"I-I can only remember a little bit…" Luna started. "I-I think I skipped a treatment. I...I was pretending to take the treatment and I got caught…"

"How did you get caught?" asked Lincoln.

"I...I think it was...something with a camera...a video, I think? I don't really remember-they took it, I think" Luna said.

Lincoln feels like he stumbled into something a lot deeper than he originally expected.

"Uh, do you remember what the tape was for? Like, why you made it?" asked Lincoln.

"I'm sorry...I don't…" Luna said.

Lincoln sighed.

"Don't worry-you're doing fine…" Lincoln said. "Tell me, who took the video?"

Luna sighs.

"Lori…" she said. "She was..still bloody…"

Lincoln got cold.

"Bloody…?" asked Lincoln with a concerned quake in his voice.

"I don't remember why, but...there was crying….screaming...I...think it was...a girl" Luna said.

"A girl…?" Lincoln said. "What girl?"

"I'm...not sure…" Luna said.

Lincoln groans lightly, feeling like he's learning so much and nothing at the same time. He had no idea what else to say. He figured he's toss a few scattered questions to see if he can get something useful. He figures it be best to try to figure out the holes later.

"Luna, why was Lucy's mouth sewed shut?" asked Lincoln asked.

"I wasn't there when it happened. They never told me...and I never asked after finding out…" Luna said shamefully.

Lincoln is taken back from that tone of Luna. She seem to be expressing real guilt and shame. He presses on with a few questions he was rather unsure to ask.

"What's in the attic?" asked Lincoln.

"I don't know…" Luna says.

"What's in the garage?" he asked.

"I don't remember…" she answers.

Lincoln was getting very annoyed with the strike outs and decided to take another gambit.

"What's in the basement, Luna?" asked Lincoln.

Luna gets quiet.

"Luna?" asked Lincoln.

"Lincoln…" Luna started. "I can't remember a lot about the basement...I can remember something is off about the treatments, dude….I think it's making us sicker...and I think there's some really rough shit in the basement, bro. Stay away from it…"

Lincoln is shocked.

"But, Luna-" Lincoln started.

"I couldn't live with myself if something were to happen to you. I don't want you to go down there...so, stay away…" she says.

"But-" he starts again.

"It's for your own good" Luna said bluntly.

Feeling like he's hit a brick wall with this info gathering, he puts his phone in his pocket and lets go of Luna's hand. He got some scattered fragments of what seemed to explain some of Luna's behavior. He closes his eyes and groans with frustration, keeping them close for a moment to marinade on what he was given. As he laid there looking at the world with his eyes wide shut, he figure he's bring up some other questions for himself to answer. What is really in the basement? Are the "treatments" doing more to them than just wipe memories? Why was Luna making a video? What was on the video that caused her to get punished? What really is the box? Why was Lori bloody? Does Luna even remember Bobby or is that treatment messing with her memory? Who did Luna hear screaming? Why wasn't she not there when Lucy had her mouth sewn?

The boy was honestly more lost than before. He wanted to give Luna the company he promised but couldn't help but feel like this was something of a wasted effort. He knows next to nothing, but feels like the plan he crafted with Ronnie Anne and Lynn has to spring into action soon. He feels that if Luna is just that screwed memory wise, the other girls may not be that much help either. He was planning at that moment to stage a reason for the family to leave the house without him, giving him a chance to look around. Then it hit him.

The gloves. He forgot to ask about the gloves.

Lincoln opens his eyes only to feel the blood in his body redirect all the way to his face. Luna was eye to eye, sitting on top of him.

"L-Luna, what the hell are you-" Lincoln started.

"Shhhh…" Luna said placing her gloved hand on Lincoln's lips. "It's okay...I'll be quick."

Lincoln is confused and looks out the windshield behind her to see plenty of active people walking around in the broad daylight.

"Luna, someone will see us!" Lincoln nearly whispered.

"Good…" Luna answered.

"W-Why are you doing this? What brought this on?" Lincoln asked.

"I always wanted this, bro...I just...just let me sample you once.." Luna said with a devilish smile.

"S-Sample?" asked Lincoln meekly.

"That means…" started Luna as she lifts Lincoln's hoodie and shirt up to show his navel. "Sit back and permettez-moi de vous vider…"

Lincoln didn't have to know French to know that Luna basically admitted they were gonna have relations right that second. He takes a hard gulp and grips her wrist as she was trying to lift his shirt.

"Luna, I'm your brother! T-This is wrong, remember?" he tried to bring up.

"Oh, I know" Luna said with a giggle. "But we'll enjoy it until the police get here."

"Shhhhiit…" Lincoln said.

Luna stops and rubs her knee lightly near Lincoln's groin, causing him to gasp.

"L-Luna, wait. P-Please-" he started.

"Well, well, well…" she said. "Is that a pistol in your pocket or ya happy to see me, bro?"

Lincoln blushes a bit.

"S-Stop that! I can't control myself that way! I'm not even comfortable with you doing this!" Lincoln protested.

"Awww…" Luna said playful as a hint bit of drool rolls off the corner of her lips. "Let me help you get comfy. Just sit back and let me..'sing you a song', huh?"

Luna beings to unbuckle Lincoln's belt and unzips his pants. Lincoln tried pleading and pushing Luna away to no success. Luna was on a mission and wasn't going to be hindered. Lincoln turned redder and began to sweat, feeling the intensity of Luna's lust, the blood flowing to his member and the idea of being caught in such a busy parking lot. Lincoln couldn't think of the words and couldn't think of the actions to make this go away.

Luna slowly licks her lips and moves her hand into Lincoln's underwear. Before Lincoln could protest further, she grabs ahold of him, causing him lightly yelp.

Luna could only smile. She even pushes it further by giving him a playful tug.

"Someone has a unicorn horn for a-" Luna said.

"Stop!" Lincoln butted in. "Y-Y-You can't do this! You'd..j-just be as bad as Lynn was!"

Luna stopped.

"W-Wha?" she said.

Lincoln realized this is a way out.

"Y-Yeah! This is someone Lynn would do! N-Not you! I mean, risking a possible jail sentence for trying to have sex with me in public? That's not you! Totally a Lynn move! You're WAY better than that!"

Luna lets go of him and takes her hand out of his underwear.

"Really?" Luna asked.

"Yeah! I mean, just look at what you were about to do!" Lincoln said, clearly acting the hell out of his part.

Luna looked at Lincoln's exposed body and turns her head to see herds of people coming and going from the store. He face turned red as a cherry as she began to zip Lincoln's pants back up and fix his belt. She gets from on top of him and as in the driver's seat again. She sat there quietly.

"Lincoln-" she started.

"I'll stop you there" said Lincoln quickly. Finding this whole trip awkward. "I'll forgive you only if you promise never to do this again or bring this incident up and we go into this store, buy what we need and go home without talking about the events that may have taken place today. Deal?"

"D-Deal…" Luna said as she grabs the shopping list. The two hopped out the car and stood on the parking lot together. Lincoln was legitimately afraid to look at Luna while Luna was embarrassed how he treated Lincoln. She walks toward the store before stopping.

"Lincoln, are you coming?" Luna asked.

Lincoln relights his cigar. "I'll be right in" he says.

Lincoln stood by the car to smoke while Luna, with her head hanging low, walks toward the store to start on her shopping. Lincoln, shaking with shock, attempts to smoke his cigar in peace, trying to play off the situation as a fluke. No matter how strange the exchange was, he got some answers and more questions. He knows he'll have to come up with a plan so he and the others could investigate the house. Not only that, but two questions he never thought he needed to ask, but thanks to Luna, he feels the need to know if there's a connection.

What is IN this 'treatment' and are there anybody else in the house putting up a masquerade?

Lincoln pulls out his phone and dial a few numbers.

"Hey, Ronnie."

"Yeah, it's me."

"Look, the plan has to spring into action tomorrow afternoon. "

"No, no. I have a plan. "

"Yeah...bring some flashlights."

"Maybe there'll be info on Bobby-I dunno…"

"Yeah?"

"Who?"

"I..I don't know anyone named Lenore. Sorry"

"Okay."

"I'll talk to you later."

Lincoln hangs up and resumes smoking, not ready to go back to deal with his would be attacker.

"I hope Lynn and Lily are having an easier time right now…" Lincoln muttered. "Oh, God...I almost got molested..."


	13. The Tales They Tell

"I sure hope Lincoln is having an easier time right now…" thought Lynn.

She sat on the floor and watched the television. The family all huddle around her. Lori, Leni, Luan and Lisa made use of the sofa while Lucy sat next to her as Lily sat next to the twins. Lynn was beyond uncomfortable being around all these troubled girls at once. She's been down here for almost an hour, waiting for the return of Lincoln. Only to now sit with these coldly dressed corpses of her siblings, watching a show that has been on mute the entire time. Much to Lynn and Lily's confusion, the family watches television with the sound off and the captions on. The family emotes to the situations of television as if they were watching normally, which in return bothers Lynn to no end. She turns her head to see Lily. Lily was in the far end of the living room and was oddly enough able to have a conversation with twins without a hint of worry. She studied the twins every movement heavily. Lola seemed to be having a very in depth discussion with Lily about something, along with gestures, smiling and giggle between the two. The very idea that Lily seems at peace in such a thick layer of dread concerned her.

Lynn looks to Lucy to study her. She was feeling her limbs lightly spasm at the sight of her. The gloomy, mature sister she left behind is now just what she always wanted to be: lifeless. Lynn doesn't remember the last time she seen her sister's eyes. Let alone recall if there was even a last time to begin with. But despite the already off putting ghoulish color of her skin, Lucy's eyes looked hollow, yet shiny; almost as if they belong to a homely rag doll. Seeing her jet black hair pulled back was also very strange. Not to mention Lynn couldn't help but to stare at Lucy's lips. The lightly healed stitch hole pattern over the rim of her lips made Lynn feel a heavy feeling that felt as if a rested pile of rocks were weighing down her insides. Lynn extend her hand to see that it was shaking.

Lynn focused her sights on the back of her hand as it shook. Lynn's ears only picked up the the sounds of her heartbeat increasing. She stared at her had as it shook, feeling the the unbearable pin and needle sensation pricing the inner workings of her flesh. She was wondering why her hand was shaking so terribly and why she felt so much pain. She attempts to ball her hand into a fist, only to learn she couldn't.

As she realize this seemed fruitless, Lucy rest her gloved hand over Lynn's and held it gently. Lynn slowly turns her head so see a smiling Lucy. Nothing of a grimace nature, but something warm and familiar. Lynn just stared at the person she wasn't sure was her sister, mouth agape.

"Are you well, dear sister?" asked Lucy calmly.

"I...I dunno…" Lynn said in fumbling thought. "I-I mean, I'm just...not a hundred percent, you know?"

Lucy hold Lynn's hand with both of her gloved hands and looks her in the eyes.

"I understand...you are home now. With your family who loves you. A family who forgives you" Lucy said.

Lynn thought about that and sighs.

"Lucy…" Lynn started. "I-I hurt you before, and I'm sorr-"

"It is okay, dear sister" Lucy said sweetly. "I have already forgiven you."

"However…" said a voice. Lynn turned her head to the couch. It was Luan. "Have you forgiven yourself, sinner?"

"W-Wha..?" asked Lynn confused.

"Have you forgiven yourself for all the wrong you done?" Lucy asked.

"I-I...I...yeah...I have…" Lynn said.

"Dear sister…" said a sweet voice. Lynn turn to the couch once more to see it was Lori. "You should not lie to us…"

"I-I'm not.." Lynn said rather fast and defensively.

"We can sense you are indeed still a lost soul…" Lucy said, patting Lynn's hand.

Lynn recoils her hand and holds it close to her chest. Lucy covers her mouth and laughs softly. Lynn was very uncomfortable as Luan and Lori began to chuckle as well. Lynn felt like this was almost a calculated attack against her. With that in mind, she slowly begins to see her own kin as possible foes. She starts to chuckle herself.

"What do you find so humorous?" Lucy asked with a smile.

"How you and your fucked mouth can sit there and laugh at me…" Lynn said.

Lucy quickly frowned. Luan and Lori stopped laughing.

"What's wrong?" asked Lynn with a false coyness. "You were talking about all my lost soul and shit. What does that make you?"

"A saved one" Lucy said. "Not that I can say the same for you."

Lynn grew quietly angry.

"Lynn, you should not cast the first stone" Lori starts. "Everything has happened because of your folly…"

Lynn groans.

"I'm trying to say I've learned from that. But no-you all wanna gang up on me. Making seem like I'm still the bad guy here. Well, I'm not! So stop trying-" Lynn started.

"You are still interested in Lincoln, are you?" asked a voice.

Everyone has gotten quiet. Lily turns her head from Lola and pinned their conversation to see Lynn slowly turn her head to Lisa. Lynn looked pale; timid in her shaking. Lily knew someone would call her out on her change. She knew they wouldn't just accept any old answer without trying to test how really rehabilitated she really was. They sense something was still off and just like that, Lynn proved it to them. Lily could tell that was the case just watching Lisa leer at the shaking juvenile. Lisa looks to Luan and without saying a single word, she nods to her. Luan stood up and stared down to the floor at Lynn, who nearly cowered at the former jester, looking pasty and meek on the carpet below. Luan pulled out a shoddy looking pocket bible from the fold of the couch and flicks to a page and grins.

She clears her throat as her other sisters dart their eyes to her as if she was about to let out an amazing lyric of old.

"For the son so loved the line of his kin, that he gave his entire being as a beacon of pain, whose pain made it to known to whosoever believed in him should not perish, but earned his everlasting love, care, and divine forgiveness. This may not be passed down to those who do not peak the respects of the followers and their divine selects. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and luster, and villains, and schemers, and addicted, and all liars, shall have their part in the box made of pure untouched ivory where the beginning and the end starts and finishes in the same space: which will bring in the wailing and pleading for your death…" Luan preached.

Lynn freezes up. She couldn't believe her ears. She doesn't remember ever reading the bible in the past, but something about the message seemed...to register. Granted, the text preached spite and damning those who oppose "the Son", but it also made her wonder.

"W-Wha…?" asked Lynn.

Luan clears her throat again.

"For the wages of her sin is either white silence or a dark death; but the gift of Him and his testimony shall bring in eternal life through The Son, our savior. And whosoever was not found written in the book of redemption was sentenced into the box of ivory for cleansing. But I say unto you, that whosoever is to anger The Son without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to savior, The Son, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the abyss: this is oblivion…" she finished.

Lily just stared at everyone in confusion. All the girl exhaled with a sense of bliss as Luan finished her quoting almost if every word was a stimulant. However, Lynn only felt this heavy pressure in her body. The pins and needle feeling escaped her arm and devoured her body, making her feel hurt and hollow as the eyes of the puppet looking girls stand over her, casting quiet judgement not only with their gaze, but with their almost choreographed smiles. Lynn just laid there; dumbfounded and empty. She just thought to herself, as she laid there in pain, was this feeling...guilt?

Lynn was lost at the crossroads of her mind, not sure which way her thoughts should go and rather or not if one way was better or worse than the others. She just remained still, feeling like the words that Luan preached were about her. Someone who's crossed the limits of what would be considered okay to Lincoln. Not only with Lincoln, but with the rest of the family. Her lust caused her sickness. Her envy caused her sisters to fear her. Her rage caused her to wind up in court. Her guilt is what lead her to want to change. But she knew all too well...the lust was sitting on the side of the crossroads, waiting to showcase a grim reminder that Lynn is still sick, no matter how many pills she pops. The bible talked about her. The bible talked to her. She was her own worst enemy and she is never going to be forgiven.

Lily watched as Lynn sat there blank of expression, shaking and staring out, lost like a infant animal without a mother. Lisa moved from her place on the couch and tapped the scared looking Lynn on the shoulder. Lynn watches in silence as Lisa points to where she could sit. Lynn sat between Lori and Luan. Leni being at the far end, still not looking like contributing to the process, but keeps watching without speaking. Luan rested her gloved hand on Lynn's lap. Lynn looks to Luan with panicky pupils.

"Don't you want to feel forgiven, Lynn?" asked Luan. 'Don't you want to be happy? Accepted? To feel all the wrong you've done in the past melt away and your mind clear? Don't you want to feel welcomed and loved again?"

Lynn just stared at her with that lost sight. Luan talked to her as if she could read her like a book left open for any common set of eyes.

Lynn nodded slowly.

"Than let The Son bless you. Let him in. let him fix you" Luan nearly pleaded.

Lynn was still rather confused.

"T-The Son?..." asked Lynn.

"Yes" Luan said with a bright smile. "The great one who brought us together and cured us of our wicked ways."

Lynn was just unsure how to even ask questions about such an out there statement like that. However, Lori steps in and closes Lynn close. Lynn, not sure why, held on to Lori.

"Don't you know we love you/" asked Lori softly.

"I...I think so…" Lynn said.

"Shhh…" Lori said. "We still love you. Very much. But you have to show you love us."

"I...I…" Lynn said with watery eyes.

"Don't you want us back in your life? Have those sweet, happy times back?" Lori asked as she light strokes Lynn's hair.

Lynn, tears streaming, nodded.

"You're such a good girl, Lynn. You know that..?" asked Lori.

"N-No, Lori…" she replied.

"I'm your dear sister" Lori said with a smile. "Call me that.."

Lynn nodded, smiling a bit.

"This is wrong…" Lily thought to herself. The room has gotten quiet as Luan and Lori speak and comfort the broken girl that was Lynn. Something about how they were speaking to her made Lily concerned. It was sweet but threatening, like is a snake spoke sweet nothing to a rodent's ear about hugs and kisses only to give a single hug to snap the spine and a kiss getting so deep, the carcass is within the beast. The way it came off to the child seemed like a step by step method to something. Like, slowly grooming her to the idea of "The Son". Lily looked like she was going to speak before Lola nudged her. She darts her eyes to Lana, who stood idle by the door. Lily and Lola look to Lana from the corner of their eyes to see Lana cut her eyes to the stairs. She awkwardly blinks three three times, causing Lola to nod slightly. She holds Lily's hand without speaking, turning her head to watch what was happening with Lynn. The girl was weeping into the shirt of Lori as the young blonde nearly cradles the girl like a baby. Lily couldn't believe how fast this escalated.

"I-I just dunno what t-to do! I-I wanna be healthy and happy a-and I wanna m-matter! I-I can't help I'm sick! I'm on meds! I'm trying to-" Lynn said.

"Shhhhh…" Lori said sweetly. "No more of those pills, dear sister. You only need us now. No more of that sickly outside nonsense, okay? All the healing you need are in these pages."

Lynn began to nod before freezing. She then finishes the nod. Lily was dumbfounded. However, before she could watch this madness resume, Lola nudges her once more. Lily darts her sights to Lana to see she was blinking three times in a row and pausing. And repeating the method. Lola stood from the ground.

"Excuse me, mother" started Lola.

The conversation quiet slowly as Leni had to play her part.

"Yes, my bab-child?" Leni said as sweetly as she could muster.

"May Lily join me and Lana for a team party upstairs please? We wish to have a proper conversation, which seems rather hard with what you are doing currently…" she said politely.

Everyone looked to Leni for her approval. Leni gives a slight nod. Lola quickly grabs Lily's hand and the two began to walk to the stairs. Luan gets up and walks pass them to go to the kitchen.

"I shall fetch the tea!" Luan said sweetly.

Lola pauses, causing Lily to halt in her walking.

"A-Actually, dear sister.." Lola started. "I-I was planning on brewing-"

Luan turns around and stared into Lola's eyes with the most telling eyes and overly exaggerated grin.

"I...shall fetch the tea...is that okay, my dear sister?" asked Luan in the most cheerly yet ominous voice.

Lola said nothing but walked Lily up the stairs with Lana close by. The three made it into the twins' room. The room looked the same, only it was clean. Too clean. Looked like something out of a dollhouse. In the middle of the room rested what looked like an aged tea party set. The table had three cups, three saucers and a single teapot that sat in the middle of the table. Lily sat at the table without second guessing. Lola was about to sit until Lana pulls up a seat for her. Lola smiles and sat in the chair. Lana sits in a chair next to her and holds Lola's hand. Lily was rather confused by the two's behavior but is even more lost when the twins gave each other a tame peck on the lips right in front of her. Lola and Lana turn their attention to Lily.

"You seem…" Lana started.

"Very confused…" Lola said.

The two looked at one another.

"Allow us to explain" they said in unison.

Lily stared at them.

"Did...you two just kiss?" Lily asked.

"Of course we did…" Lana said with a smile.

"I just...love my sister…" Lola said with a smile.

"And I thought this place couldn't get any stranger…" Lily thought to herself.


	14. Lola's Tea Party

Lily sat across the tea set in silence.

She wasn't totally sure just what was taking place before her and why it had to happen, but she willing to study it like a exhibit behind glass. The twins resumed holding hands and spoke to one another in French, much to Lily's dismay seeing how she understood enough to get an idea of what they were talking about. She felt the kissing was rather strange for the fact they were not only both girls but were related, but she found it stranger that they invited her into their room and that being the first thing to raise a red flag.

Lily thought about the night Lincoln went out to see Ronnie Anne and her time with Lucy, thinking about how quick she was learning a new language the way she did. Lily thinks back to the thought she asked herself the entire lesson: Why? Lucy was being so sweet and caring to her and how seemingly proud she was of her for being so quick to picking up despite her age.

"Bientôt, vous comprendrez pourquoi c'est important…"

Lucy said endlessly through the brief time they were together. Lily found herself leaning in the chair thinking about Lucy. How kind she was to her and oddly enough how sad she seemed. "I'm so sorry" she would say or "This isn't going to last" she would have muttered. The feeling of inner pain bleed from the pale girl like a reopened wound. The thought of that night for some reason brought a burning sensation to her belly and a tight feeling in her chest. Despite the short time and barely remembering her, Lily was feeling a sense of sadness for not being able to engage with her.

"Lily, vous allez bien?" the twins asked in unison.

Lily snaps out of her deep thought to pay attention to them.

"U-Uh...yeah…" Lily said, not making too much eye contact. "So...the kissing…"

"Oh!" Lola said.

"Right!" Lana answered.

"You see, Lily…" started Lola.

"For a while now…" Lana resumed.

"Me and Lana…" Lola said.

"Or me and Lola…" Lana added.

"Have-" Lola started before Lily raised her hand up with a sigh.

"Okay" Lily started. "Lola. Why don't you tell me? Without you and Lana...doing...whatever it is you two are doing."

The twins looked at each other and nodded slightly. Lola clears her throat.

"While our…'darling' sister Luan brings us our tea, I believe it's best we tell you what's going on...at least, as much as we can remember…" Lola said.

Lily's brow raises.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Lily, clearly catching something amiss with the comment.

"We'll get to that" said Lana.

* * *

After she said that, Lola leaned into Lana's ear and whispered something Lily couldn't really make out what they were saying. Lola then turns to Lily and shuts her eyes. She softly inhales and exhales as Lana leaves the table and makes her way to Lola's side of the room. Lily had no idea rather or not she was in danger or something else was happening. Either way, she wasn't sure just who to pay attention to. She stares at Lola for a fairly long period of time before turning her attention back to Lana who was haphazardly digging through her twin's cluttered nightstand drawer for something. Lily wasn't very sure what to take away from all this and just waited. She leans in her chair only to hear the light thud from the drawer causing her to sit back up.

Lana walks back to the table with a stack of paper and a pack of new markers. She plops them on the table, letting a few loose pages shatter onto the table and floor. Lily stares at the items, clearly unsure how to respond to them or why they needed them. This is dashed once she opens up the pack and pours the markers about the table and began to lightly tear and fiddle with the box. As she does this, Lola puts on a serious face and looks to Lily.

"You are not safe here…" Lola said.

Lily just sits and stares at the girl who claimed to be her sister.

"I'm not...what?" asked Lily.

"You and Lincoln are in grave danger…" Lola said. "You have no idea how deep you two are in. You should have never returned here…"

Lily is without words. She didn't know what to think about that statement, let alone how to comment it.

"You see, Lily...things here aren't as they seem but we all know that. They know that you know too.." Lola said as she rubs her gloved hands together.

"...'They'...?" Lily thought to herself.

"We were well aware of the possible outcomes of you two returning...we knew the negatives of what we had to do to get you two here...but here you two are. Lost in a house of fear and misery. I wish I was as lost as you right now…" Lola said.

"What...what are you talking about?" Lily asked softly.

Lola looks to Lana who sits the box on the table. Lily studies the box to see that her sister has made the marker box looked older. The sides were slightly torn, the top is missing, the main logo was colored on with a marker and scratched to death and random pieces of scotch tape as placed on the rips along the bent crease that was centered on the box. Lola gives her twin a smile and nod. Lana quickly takes out a marker and doodles crosses and writes random passages from the bible onto the page.

Lily was grown very concerned.

"What is she doing?" asked Lily.

Lola looks to Lily.

"Making the party look real…" Lola answered.

As Lana scribbles away, Lola resumes.

"You see, Lily. Here's how it goes down here. Things changed after Lincoln left again. One moment, I'm arguing with my sister and the next moment, total darkness. Only to wake up tied to that...that chair…" Lola said.

Lily doesn't know what to say.

"I was scared...I was crying...I was...in the basement, listening to her mumble to herself about the bible this and logic that. Just listening to the sound of her scribbling in her documents-noting everything I said or did. Recalling everything I did wrong. Next thing you know...needle to the arm and then darkness again. I wake up. About three days later…" Lola said before stopping.

Lana slowly stops drawing before Lola sighs and rolls her hand, gesturing her to resume.

"I wake up three days later with gloves on my hands, standing in a pool of water, screaming my head off. Didn't know I was being baptized. They looked at me...saying I was acting hellish again. Most of them kneeled and sung hymns, praying to "the son". The rest? Wanna know where the rest did to me?" Lola asked.

Lily looked away, not liking where this was going.

Lola curls her finger, gesturing Lily to come to her side of the table. Lily hesitated but soon made her way over to the other side and stood next to Lola, stiff as a board.

Lola inhales and exhales.

"They said I had my old devilish ways in me…" Lola said. "Lily, stick your hand in the back of my shirt."

Lily is struck with a sense of dread hearing such a blunt statement. Lana stops drawing.

"Lola, don't…" Lana said somberly.

"I-It's fine, Lana. She...she has to know…" Lola said.

"But-" Lana started.

"Just keep drawing. We have to make this look good" Lola said.

Lana, though bitter, went back to drawing and writing. Lily looks to Lola, who gives a agonizingly slow nod. Lily sighs and fearfully sticks her hand in Lola's shirt and rubs her back. Lily turns pale. Lola's back felt like she was touching long lines of braille. The bumps turned out to feel quite familiar. Lily lifts Lola's shirt to only gasp lightly. Along the girl's back were slash scars in various patterns. The cuts looked like as if she was attacked with a weed eater. Lily was hollow-tearing up at the very sight. Lana sniffled and Lola remained silent.

"Wha...wha...what?" Lily said.

"They had to punish me, they said. So, I was tied to pole looking thing, hand my wrist handcuffed and… they took turns flogging me. Beating me. Asking God of all people to forgive them...bits of glass and bobby pins plucked at the ends of it scraping against my back…" Lola said.

"Lola…" Lana said sadly.

"I screamed my lungs out-begged them to stop. They just kept whipping me and prodding me…" Lola said.

"P-Prod?" asked Lily.

"L-Lola, stop this…" Lana said.

Lola pulls down her pants just a bit to show off her left hip and buttock to show healed circular scarring.

"Cattle prod me…" Lola said. "They whipped and prod me…"

Lily was lost for words. Lola turn to Lana.

"They...they made Lana punish me, too…" Lola said somberly.

Tears trailed down lana's eyes as Lola tries her damndest to hold it together.

"She was afraid to hurt me...I knew it...then, she started singing that song…" Lola said.

"O-Over the Rainbow..?" asked Lily.

They both nodded in unison.

"She was trying to calm me down. She struck me once. I screamed in pain and she couldn't do it again. She...ran to comfort me, begged for forgiveness…" Lola said.

Lana looks to Lola with wet eyes.

"I-I didn't mean to hurt you! I-I never want to hurt you!" Lana broke down.

Lola reached over to hug her sister and shushed her.

"When she wouldn't go through with it…" started Lola. "They punished her. Sent her to the box of ivory. When she returned to me...well, after I was myself again, she looked dead. Just sat in one place with that blank look…" Lola said as tears began to form. "She looked like a puppet!"

Lily backed away with tears in her eyes.

The twins held one another and wept together, keeping each other from falling on the floor. Lily sits on the floor of the room, wondering how did things get this bad.

"Those treatments only work for so long...which is why you are here.." said Lana.

"Wha? Treatments?" asked Lily.

"Listen" Lola said. "We both know Lincoln and how he acts. We know he's got some crazy plan in store to find out what has happened here. We can't stop him and the...people who we are during the treatments won't know or remember any of this taking place...so do what you have to.."

"Wait" Lily said, wiping tears from her eyes. "D-Did you guys give her the treatment?"

"Who?" asked Lana.

"Lucy…" asked Lily.

The two looked at one another.

"Yes…" they said in unison.

"S-She remembered me!" said Lily. "S-She remembered the French lessons and everything!"

The girls got from the table and moved closer to Lily, who trembled on the floor at their sudden approach.

"A-Are you sure?" asked Lana.

"That's not possible…" Lola said.

"S-She did! I was there! She remembered the lesson!" Lily said.

The twins looked at one another.

"Could...she actually be fighting the treatments that hard?" asked Lola.

"I-I didn't know we could do that...I thought we fake the lingering and pretend after it wears off!" Lana said.

"We do! But...is..i-is the treatments weakening?" Lola said.

Lily sits and watches the twins pace back and forth, commenting and theorizing Lily's claim.

"W-Wait. Hold on…" said Lily.

The twins stop.

"If you two know everything about the basement and the attic and-" Lily started.

"The attic…" they both said grimly.

The room gets still and quiet.

"T-That night…" Lola said looking away. "That terrible night…"

"So much blood...Lori...she was so angry…" Lana said coldly as she held herself.

"Wha...what happened?" asked Lily.

The two shook their heads.

"We don't like talking about...that night...it was such a mess…" Lola said.

The twins shudder.

Lily gets off the ground and looks at the girls. The girls gaze at her and sigh in unison.

"We don't have anymore time…" Lola said.

"Luan spiked the tea, Lily…" said Lana.

"S-Spiked?" Lily asked.

"The treatment would be in the tea...if you drink it…" Lana said.

Lily covered her mouth.

"Yes...so, you won't drink it...but we will…" Lola said.

"W-Wha?! N-No! You don't have to!" Lily protested.

The twins smiled faintly.

"We kinda do…" Lana said.

"It makes us sick but.." Lola said. "But you knew this. We are unwell."

Lily groans.

"You don't have to drink it at all!" Lily said.

"If we don't, we'll be punished again and forced fed it anyway...might as well go on our own choosing" Lana said.

"We were waiting for the perfect time...the perfect time to tell you everything and it's still not enough." Lola said.

"G-Girls, you don't have to-" Lily started.

"We love you…" Lola said.

Lily got quiet. Lola slowly walks up to Lily and holds her hand.

"There's so much I wanted to teach you…" Lola said. "How you dress nice. How to do your hair. How to paint your nails…"

"How to make mud pies…" Lana said.

"How to walk like a lady…" Lola said.

"How to wrestle…" Lana said.

"How to get boys to do what you want…" Lola said with a giggle.

"How to make mud pies…" Lana said again.

"We...never got a chance to be real sisters to you and it's a mix of things that lead us not being able to do that. But we want you to know we love you and if..i-if there's a way out of this for all of us…" Lola said before pausing.

Lana holds Lily's other hand.

"Would you...have a real tea party with us...as friends?" asked Lana.

Lily stared at the two with watery eyes and a heavy heart. She doesn't know who her sisters are outside this puppet identity they are forced to convey as shadow siblings behind the curtain pull the strings. They weren't evil. They weren't enemies. They were just two confused girls who still want to do normal girl things. Not only that, but they wanted to do those things...as a family. Lily pulls the two in and hugged them tightly. Lola and Lana holds on to Lily and let tears roll off their faces in silence.

"I'll do it as a sister…" Lily said. "I-I'll do whatever to play with you guys…"

Lola breaks the hug.

"It's time to go to your room now. Quickly… before she comes" Lola said.

* * *

Lily opens the door and walks into the hallway and turns to them. The two girls sit at the table, smiling with tears drying on their cheeks. Lily shuts the door and makes her way back to Lincoln's bedroom. She shuts the bedroom door and locks it behind her. Lily lays on the bed on her back, crying as tears flew down her face, damping the pillow. Lily hears steps on the stairs from the hallway along with whistling, sounding like the song Jesus Loves Me. It was Luan for sure. There was some knocking and what sounded like a door opening. Lily hears the hushed talking in the hall before the sound of the door shutting is heard. Footsteps are heard approaching the door as the menacing sound of the door knob being turned furiously fills the room, causing the anxiety pressure weigh on Lily's chest like a barbell.

There's silence.

The sound of the footsteps leaving the door echoed as the creaking of the stairs gives Lily the all clear.

"1...2…3...4...5…" Lily said to herself softly.

She stares at the ceiling, too afraid to look at the door and thinking about the girls she saw.

"19...20...21...22…" she said to herself softly.

She shuts her eyes, letting the painful tears cascade down her cheek and onto the bedspread. Lily knew then and there.

"25...26...27…"

She wasn't fighting to save Lincoln anymore.

"28...29…"

She was fighting to save her family.

"30…"

A loud thud is heard nearby. The sound of a sandbag ringing similar. A loud shattering, from what Lily can only assume to be the tea cups, is heard before a second thud.

"Thirty seconds…" Lily said before she fell asleep in a sea of her own tears.


	15. I Can't Breathe

The girl awakened. As her eyes tried to regain their focus at the ceiling above, she noticed something strange. She sat up on the bed and watched around the room before focusing on the small circle window which gave a glint of pale moonlight, it was night time. The girl stretched and yawned, surprised she slept as long as she did. She rubbed her eyes and sat there for a second, puzzled. She looked at the desk and saw nothing had changed. She looked at the stand to see no cell phone, loose change or any of Lincoln's usual pocket contents. Most importantly, she noticed that Lincoln was nowhere to be found. The girl hopped to her feet, looking around the room trying to spot any possible sign that he had returned from the store.

Nothing.

Lily looked under the bed only to find an empty box of cigarettes and a few dust bunnies. She stood off the floor walking over to the bedroom door and stopped. Her heart sunk, fear roping around her neck like a noose. The door was unlocked. She stared at the knob for what seemed like eons. She slowly reached for the door knob with her sweaty hands but shakingly pressed her finger on the knob, causing it to open almost completely on it's own.

The house was quiet and from what she could see in the hallway, every door was closed. No noises were heard. No breathing. No cluttering. Nothing. Just dead silence. Lily took one step into the hall and stopped. She remembered the twins. She slowly turned her head to see if their door was closed, seeing how they were the closest to Lincoln's room. Her blood grew cold and her body heavy.

The door was slightly ajar.

The young girl looked around the hall for someone and checked up for any slight hint of movement.

The house was dead of either. She lightly tiptoed her way to the door and pushed it. Not even the hinges let out a sound. Oddly enough, the moon's light seemed to have dimmed and the air that swamped the room appeared to have become grimly icy. The girl quickly started to feel the effects of this strange shift as she began to sniff. She wiped her nose and coughed lightly, witnessing her icy breath as she did so. The girl was now questioning if she rather walked into a bedroom or a freezer. She slowly trekked through the room, looking around in the icy darkness as the shadows morphed into a ghastly sheet of darkness. Shivering and holding herself, the girl wanted some answers.

"L-Lola…? L-L-ana..?" she called out with a shivering whisper.

No response from the crypt.

She shuffled in deeper into the room before tripping, making brute contact with the floor. The girl sucked air through her young teeth in pain, quickly hopping off the ground and biting her tongue. Doing so only to not shout out for Lincoln, wanting to prove to herself that she's here for him and not the other way around. She got to her knees, annoyed and feeling around for the object that tripped her up. Blind as a bat, the dimming moon light began to brighten again to showcase a sight that stalled Lily entirely.

The object that tripped her up was the cold, limp body of Lola.

No….no….please no…" Lily thought to herself.

She quickly grabbed a hold of Lola's forearm. Her skin was ice cold. The panicking girl rested her ear into Lola's chest, hoping to hear something. No heartbeat. Lily, hand shaking and tears falling, pulled up the eyelid for Lola's right eye. Her pupils were a cloudy gray. Lily couldn't deny it anymore. She was touching a corpse.

Lily cried, cough and choked. Pain washing over her and emotions literally taking her breath away as the air in the room got colder and the oxygen seemingly thinner. She slightly pulled Lola's corpse off the ground and hugged it.

"I-I'm so sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry….I'm...so...sorry…" the broken girl said holding the lifeless husk that was her sister. The girl laid the body back down gently, got off the ground and with her feet combed the rest of the floor to find the other twin. On the opposite side of the table was Lana, dead around broken pieces of porcelain. The girl wept more as she walked to the end corners of the room to both of their beds to retrieve the covers of their respective sleepers and wrapped both the girls on the floor in their covers, giving the look that they were just sleeping peacefully. Lily knew there was nothing more for her to do in here and walked out the room, closing the door silently behind her.

She stopped in the middle of the hallway and tried to compose herself but was failing to do so. She wiped her eyes and quickly walked the steps in what looked like a break for the front door before a loud slam caused her to freeze. The sound seemed to have come from the kitchen. Fearful, the girl knew she had to leave. She walked to the front door and rested her hand on the knob only to freeze, once she heard it.

Hellish wails of pain and agony echoed through the house. The noises bellowed from the kitchen caused the entire house to shake. Along with it, the floorboards began to hallow, the kitchenware to rattle, the furniture to wobble and every single picture frame hanging to fall and smash on the floor. Lily didn't know what was happening, but she knew she didn't want to find out. She turned the knob and ran out of the house only to see darkness.

"Gah!' she said followed by the sound of a thud.

* * *

Lily opened her eyes to see something was off. She woke in a white tiled room that seemed to be underneath some sort of object. She rubbed her head and notice something strange. Her hand and hair was wet. She looked at her hand. No blood, just water. Lily took her other hand and rubbed it along the ground. Wet. The whole floor was covered with water. Lily was confused. She wasn't sure where she was or how she got here. She then got off the ground and saw the object she was resting under. Her eyes widened. She was sitting in a bathtub. Lily started to breathe heavily as the only sound she could hear was her heartbeat. She darted her eyes around the bathroom only to see what she feared. This was not the Loud House bathroom. She was in a bathroom she knew. The bathroom back home.

"Lincy…" she thought to herself.

She looked into the tub and there she saw clearly, it was Lincoln in the water, trying to drown himself like he tried to do before.

"LINCOLN!" she screamed before jumping into the tub to pull Lincoln above the water. Lily was soaked but worried not as she slapped him repeatedly, hoping for any sign of life. Nothing. She tried to pull him up from the water and out of the tub, but her brother felt like he weighed a ton. There was no way she could get him out alone. All she could do was cry in pain, holding on to her dead brother in a desperate grip, blaming herself and saying curse words she knew her brother wouldn't approve of, in hopes it'll be enough to get him to come back to her. This proved to be fruitless. He was gone.

"I-I couldn't help you!" she screamed. "I-I'm sorry! Please come back! I-I'll be good! I'll do anything! P-Please! Lincy! LINCY!"

The cadaver didn't respond.

"Don't leave me alone...you promised…" Lily said, clearly begging for him to open his eyes.

Nothing of the sort happened.

The girl rested his top half on the water. She sat in the tub with him, burying her face in her knees and wailed violently. As the girl screamed alone and cursed the gods above for taking her beloved brother away, light splashing was heard. The girl slowly turned her head to see a horrid sight.

Slender shadowy hands arose from the water in the tub into the air, their color tainting the water and turning it into a sickening coal black. Lily screamed at the terrible sight only to pause when the hands started to touch upon the body of Lincoln. She knew who their target was and was about to make a move before all nine limbs latched on to the boy and dragged him along into the darkness.

"LINCY!" Lily screamed as she dipped her hands into the bubbling broth to grab on to what she believed was her brother's hand and began to pull. The tug o war seemed almost completely fruitless. The child pulled with all her might, face turning red and her warrior scream filling the room as she pulled until it felt like the arms from the deep have gave in and let go. Lily pulled the body up only to shake with fear.

It wasn't Lincoln's body.

It was hers.

She stared at it and crawled closer to the body and flipped it on it's back. It looked like her in every way. It's eyes were closed so she couldn't make heads or tails of it. As she tried to reach to check for a pulse, a loud banging was heard form the bathroom door.

"LILY!" said the voice.

Lily froze. The voice sounded like Leni.

"Don't touch her! Get away from her! Before it's too late-"

Right then, the body opened it's eyes, two bright crimson orbs. Lily gasped loudly, but was cut off when the body clutched her neck with one hand and smiled.

"Bonjour, Lily…" the smiling doppelganger said before wrapping her other hand around her neck. "...et au revoir."

Lily was knocked back and plunged into the dark water, blinding and drowning her. The murderer's hands were draped in darkness, the light of the bathroom died in the depths and the only air was the one escaping her burning lungs.

"Lincoln...help me…" she thought as her stressed heart began to slow down.

"I...can't...breathe…"

She couldn't tell where the darkness ended or where it began.

"Lincoln...I'm scared…" she thought to herself as she allowed the darkness to consume her.

"Lincoln...we can be brother and sister in heaven, right…?"

* * *

Lily quickly opened her eyes and shoot up, sitting upright in the bed. It was nighttime. Her face was dripping with tears and sweat. She looked to her side. Lincoln was right next to her. Fast asleep and coughing lightly, like he had a slight cold. The girl teared up silently, happy to see her brother alive, well and with her. However, she saw at the desk and froze. Sitting in Lincoln's chair watching her, was Leni.

Leni quickly threw her finger over her lips, telling Lily to not make a sound. Lily checked around the room only to hear the sound of something cocking. She looked back at Leni to see she had Lincoln's gun. Lily was stuck. Paralyzed with fear. Leni rose to her feet and walked towards the bed. Lily was afraid. She was unarmed. She was just a helpless girl. Before Leni could get any closer, Lily hugged on to Lincoln for comfort, not wanting to let him go. Thinking this had to be the end. If she had to go, she refused to miss showing her brother love one more time. Leni leaned in to Lily. Lily closes her eyes and started to cry into her pillow.

"You shouldn't play with guns…" Leni whispered into her ear.

Lily opened her eyes to see Leni siting the gun gently on the nightstand. She then dug in her pocket and pulled out something shiny. She handed it to Lily, which slowly clasped the object and looked at it. It was a key.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to bring the family into town for a mall day. You'll be here with Lincoln and Lynn…" Leni said as she pointed at the key. "That key is the key to my room. Think of it as another place you shouldn't go and let's pretend I forgot where I put my spare key."

Lily was lost. Why would she do this? Lily thought this could be a trap, but something made her think it was proper to give her the benefit of the doubt. She just nodded.

"Good. I love you, like, so much" Leni said patting her head. "I'll buy you as much time as I can…"

Leni began to walk towards the door and stopped. She turned to Lily, who was watching her every move.

"I won't be able to help you for long...it's only a matter of time…" Leni started. "But heed my warning: watch out for Lynn. Keep her away from us. She's in a mindset where being near us will change her...be careful."

Lily nodded.

Leni opened the door and set the lock before shutting it behind her, making Lily feel safe. She nested beside Lincoln and silently wept herself to sleep, holding the key in her palms. Later Lincoln was awaken a bit by his sisters sobbing.

"Must have had been a bad dream…" he thought to himself.

The tired and unknowing Lincoln wrapped his arm around Lily, causing her to feel safe and to silence her whimpers. The two returned to sleep, awaiting for the task to come in the morning.


	16. Get Out (Pt 1)

Lincoln's phone blared a stock ringtone. The boy slowly opened his crusted eyes and in his daze, stared at the wobbling and shifting frames of the shattered objects that resided on his nightstand. He yawned and slowly reached for this phone. The blaring resumed as the tired boy checked the time. It was 10:30 AM. He sat up from the bed and stretched his arms, popping his neck and cracking his fingers as the rest of his body struggled to wake up properly. Lincoln turned to his sister. Lily was bundled up, mouth covered sweetly by a corner of the cover of the bed. The young man smiled at the sleeping child, glad that whatever caused her to tear up last night was over. He gently rested his hand on her soft blonde hair and gave it a few calmed strokes, hearing the low grumbling and hushed snoring of Lily as she was still stumbling in her dreamscape.

Lincoln hopped off the bed and slowly lugged his way over to the desk before stopping halfway. The sunshine illuminated the room enough to where something stood out in his room. Something he didn't notice before as he was waking up. He turned his head back to the nightstand once more and studied it with a brow raised.

His gun was on the nightstand.

Lincoln slowly walked back to the side of the bed and picked the gun up from the stand, confused on how it could have gotten there. He knew he would usually leave it in the pockets of his hoodie, but thought maybe he was too tired to remember taking it out of the hoodie pocket. Worried that his sister would wake up and notice it, Lincoln tucked the gun along the waistband of the pants he was wearing yesterday and walked back to the desk, scratching at his mangled locks of hair. He stood in front of the desk, staring bleakly at the idle bottle of medication.

"Luna…" he thought to himself. "What is even…."

He shook his head, not waiting to really remember what had almost taken place the other day in the parking lot. He found her behavior so out there. The way she switched moods like that bothered him. He knew today was the day he would have to sneak his way into some answers, but the more he thought about it, the more he wondered: did he really want to know? What is he going to learn from this? Is there really something hellish going on or was he just stuck in the deeply pessimistic attitude he had been carrying. Regardless, he knew he had to work fast. Lincoln took the bottle and stopped. He motioned his arm up and down with the bottle in his palm.

No rattling.

He opened the bottle to something that made his heart rate pick up. The bottle was completely empty. He started to breathe uneasily and looked at Lily. She was still asleep. He turned his attention back to the bottle.

"Oh, shit…" he thought to himself.

He nearly stumbled to the floor, feeling up for his discarded clothes that laid there to see if he could possibly find the film capsule with a set of pills in it. After a moment of screening through his gear, he managed to locate the capsule in one of the pockets and opened it.

Empty.

* * *

Lincoln knew this was bad. If he goes without his meds, his mind will distort and the illusions will take hold once again. Not only that, he promised Lily he would take this medicine and knew he had, at least, to make it look like he was taking them until he could think of a way to get more. He knew asking for help from anyone else in the house was rather risky if not completely stupid altogether. Lincoln quietly tip toed to the door. He slowly and softly unlocked it. As the door opened, he froze.

On the other side, oddly enough, was Lynn and Ronnie Anne.

Lincoln sucked his lips into his mouth and stood motionless, not wanting to show that their sudden appearance actually scared him. Lynn stood there, slightly red in the face, just waving at him. Lincoln had no idea why she would turn bashful all of a sudden. Ronnie Anne just sighed and putted on a kind face.

"Hey, Lame-o" Ronnie Anne said calmly.

"H-Hey...what are you doing here?" asked Lincoln. "You were supposed to wait for my call."

"Lynn called me up" Ronnie Anne said. "Seems like we have about four hours to get to the bottom of things."

"Wait-four hours? Wait again-Lynn called you up?" asked Lincoln, clearly confused of why that is.

Ronnie Anne shrugged.

"Seem like this was the best time because everyone is out for some mall day thing. Lynn told everyone you were feeling sick and that you and Lily were going to stay behind. Seems like things worked out for us" Ronnie Anne said smugly.

Lincoln turned to Lynn.

"Lynn, is that true?" he asked.

Lynn could only nod and look to the ground, smiling to herself like a mental patient. Lincoln took note of this and looked at Ronnie Anne again.

"Okay. I'll bite-what's wrong with her?" Lincoln asked.

Ronnie Anne just pointed at Lincoln's torso. Lincoln looked down and noticed that while he was wearing pants, he had been without a shirt. Lincoln looked at Ronnie Anne and blushed a bit.

"L-Look, Ronnie. I-I'm sorry-" he started.

Ronnie Anne just snickered.

"Just put on a shirt, Romeo-we'll be here when you're done" Ronnie Anne teased.

On that note, Lincoln quietly shutted the door and locked it. The two girls stood outside the door in the slightly darken hallway, waiting for Lincoln's return. Ronnie Anne sighed and looked at Lynn with disgust. Lynn darted her eyes at Ronnie Anne and sighed too. Saying nothing.

"You're still a sick bitch, Loud…" Ronnie Anne said.

Lynn said nothing.

"So, by the way you are acting, you mean to tell me you're not seeing him as 'your Lincoln' anymore? And You're expecting me to buy it?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"Can we not do this?" asked Lynn, silently ashamed.

"You're going to dip back to your ways, Lynn" Ronnie Anne said. "I can smell the weakness on you and it reeks."

Lynn turned to Ronnie Anne.

"No, I'm not" she started. "Look, I'm trying my best. Don't stand there and tell me you didn't want to put your hands on his chest."

"I-" Ronnie Anne started before stopping. She groaned. "It's doesn't matter. We're here for answers-not to make this a petty contest."

"Agreed" said Lynn, looking back at the door in a huff.

"Yeah…" started Ronnie Anne. "Because it's not a contest. He would have picked me."

Lynn slowly turned her head at Ronnie Anne with a horrified expression.

"Wha…what did you just say?" Lynn asked.

Ronnie Anne scoffed.

"I mean, isn't it obvious?" Ronnie Anne asked. "Why wouldn't he pick me?"

Lynn looked at Ronnie Anne up and down. She noticed something and sighed. Lynn looked down at her chest and back to Ronnie Anne's.

"So? You're just a tad more developed than me…" said Lynn.

"That's an understatement…" Ronnie Anne said with a smug grin.

"My time hasn't come yet" Lynn said defensively.

"You're as flat as plywood and your ship sailed years ago" Ronnie Anne snarked. "Even if you weren't his sister, he wouldn't be with you. He wouldn't know rather to fuck you or throw a shirt on your back and start ironing."

Lynn pushed her against the wall.

"I'm not playing these games with you" Lynn said sternly. "If memory serves, you were dating my sister-"

"That was a phase-" Ronnie Anne quickly answered.

"Bullshit" Lynn said with a smile. "You didn't take into account Lincoln's feelings then. Why now? All that sneaking and scheming and planning. For some poly-relationship shit?"

"Hey-at least I'm not related to them…" Ronnie Anne said coldly.

Lynn balled up her fist until Ronnie Anne surprised her with a switchblade that fell from the rest of her hoodie which she placed over Lynn's neck. Lynn froze, instantly growing fearful.

"That acadmey made you soft…" Ronnie Anne said. "If I even think you're trying to move on Lincoln, I'll gut you like a fish. That goes for Lily too. Because Like it or not, Lincoln still loves me and I still love him. I fucked up-we all fucked up. You should know what that's like. You know, being a fuck up while being fucked in the head…"

Lynn backed down away from Ronnie Anne and sighed angrily. She turned and looked to the door again.

"I can't wait until this is over" Lynn said. "Then you can get your answers and leave us be."

"Weren't you listening, Loud?" said Ronnie Anne, mocking her. "I'm not going ANYWHERE…"

Before Lynn could say anything further, the lock tumbler on Lincoln's door began to sound off, causing her to get quiet while Ronnie Anne stashed her blade away. The knob turned and the door opened, revealing Lincoln in a white wifebeater with a black hoodie on and Lily, still rather tired, dressed in her normal attire. Lily waved at Ronnie Anne, who gave a smile and waved back. Lynn, having her feelings hurt, waved at Lily, only to be welcomed with an icy stare. Lynn bowed out as Lincoln cleared his throat.

"Okay" he started. "Now, I find this time we were given strange, but I do know that it works in our favor. So, we have four hours to come up with some clues while we're here so we can figure out just what is happening and what has happened here. So, you know your parts?"

"Attic" said Lynn.

"Garage" said Ronnie Anne.

"Okay, now while we-" Lincoln started.

"What do I get to do, Lincy?" asked Lily sweetly.

Lincoln stalled, not prepared for this question at all. He figured overall, this quest might be too much for the young girl. However, he didn't want to leave her feeling she wasn't needed. So, the boy snapped while he improvised a role for her.

"Uh, lookout!" he says.

"L-Lookout?" asked Lily as she tilted her head.

Lincoln turned Lily towards the room and pointed at the one window in the room ahead of them.

"Yeah! We have little to no idea when our sisters will be back, which doesn't do us any good" Lincoln said. "So, your job is to, uh, view from this window for a while until you spot them. And warn us with...uh…"

Lincoln walked over to his desk and rummaged in the drawer for something of worth in the molded cluttered mess. A whistle. He walked over to Lily and placed it in her hand.

"If you see anything strange, blow the whistle and I'll come running. Okay, Lily-bug?" Lincoln asked.

The sleepy child just hugged her older brother and Lincoln lightly petted her head. Lynn and Ronnie Anne both smiled, thinking in a mutual silence that they found the exchange somewhat cute. Lincoln looked to the two girls, who dropped their grins for the sake of the mission.

"You guys keep your phones near. We gotta move and move fast" said Lincoln as he hopped the stairs to the first floor and made his way into the kitchen.

Ronnie Anne started walking down the stairs to made her way to the back door through the kitchen, not saying another word to Lynn. Lynn looked at Lily, who dodged her gaze. Lily simply turned around and walked into Lincoln's room and shut the door. Lynn stood in the middle of the hall by herself. She sighed and nervously fiddled with her fingers.

* * *

"You...you need to get ahold of yourself…" Lynn whispered to herself. "Y-You're not like that anymore. You are normal. You are strong. You are cured. You don't have to rely on…"

She stopped, took a deep breath and sighed. She looked to the ceiling at the panel that led into the attic. Lynn pulled on the dangling rope and allowed the stairs to roll downward to the floor. Lynn climbed the stairs and made it inside the dark attic.

The smell was unbearable.

Though she couldn't see a thing in the dark room, the smell made itself known. The smell was something like heated bodily waste or the dank musk from the clouds that loom over the local steam plants in certain parts in the city. Regardless, this was her station. In her gassed judgement, she pulled the ladder back up to keep the smell from leaking throughout the house.

As Lynn fumbled upstairs, Ronnie Anne was talking to Lincoln by the door.

"Lincoln, please. Just think about it" said Ronnie Anne.

"I...I dunno…" said Lincoln.

Ronnie Anne scoffed.

"Lincoln, I know you don't trust me-" Ronnie Anne said.

"I never said that" Lincoln quickly responded .

"But that's how I feel. I just...I wanna do this. I want it to be with you. I..I don't want to lose you and-" she started.

"And you won't. But Ronnie...that sorta thing...is kinda why some of my sisters are crazy now. If they found out that you and I did...you know…" he said. "Plus, we're young. We'd be moving fast."

"I thought you wanted to start over" asked Ronnie Anne all huffy.

"I-I do! But...look, I don't think this is the time or place to discuss this" Lincoln said as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Ronnie Anne sighed and chuckled.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sor-" Ronnie Anne said before Lincoln gave her a peck on the lips.

Ronnie Anne is caught off guard and giggled while he was kissing her and forcefully pushed him back.

"What was that for?" asked Ronnie Anne giggling to herself.

"I thought you said you wanted to start over" Lincoln said with a smile.

"You corny lame-o" joked Ronnie Anne as she walked outside and made her way to the garage. Lincoln sighed before hearing a tapping noise toward the doorway. He turned his head to see no one was there. He turned his attention back to the basement door and saw that it was locked. He quickly dug inside his pocket to look for something to pick the lock with.

As he was doing so, in the dark dining room, Lily was hiding in a corner, smiling to herself. Seeing Lincoln seemingly happy made her smile. However, she knew this was just as important. She stared at her balled up fist and opend it up, showing Leni's room key. In Lily's mind, she had more important things to do in order to help instead of sitting up in that room, waiting for something to happen. She had to take action now. She had to know what was in that bedroom.

She had to prove she wasn't afraid.

She left the corner of the dining room and tiptoed past the front door, into the living room and towards the door that was rumored to be her parents old bedroom. Lily looked at the key and slowly putted it in the lock. Ever so slowly, turning the key. A light knock in the tumbles. She softly turned the knob and opened up the door. The room was pitch black. Lily felt a lump in her throat as she pushed the labor to attempt to swallow it. Then inhaled and exhaled and walked into the the room.

"It's going….to be okay…." she said and she silently shutted the door behind her.

Lincoln, in the kitchen, was finally able to get the door unlocked and walked onto the top step before locking the door behind him.

Ronne Anne stared at the garage with a panicked face.

"It's locked from the inside?!" Ronnie Anne screamed to herself.

The door lock that was once there before seemed to have been altered. There was no longer a doorknob, but looked like an automatic door that opens by keycode. Ronnie Anne stared at the electronic lock with no idea of which pin code to press. She feared that if she tampered with it too much, some kind of alarm would go off. And she couldn't break any of the windows because it would be obvious that someone broke in the garage and saw something. Ronnie Anne was at a lost. Totally out in the open .

"How am I gonna get inside now…?" Ronnie Anne asked herself aloud.

The girl sighed.


	17. Get Out (Pt 2)

"How the hell am I gonna get inside..?" mumbled Ronnie Anne to herself as she stared at the very off putting keypad wired next to the door.

The girl surveyed the area to make sure no one else was around. Not one soul could be found. The girl sighed as she moved closer to get an idea on just what kind of security system she was actually dealing with. As Ronnie stared are the keypad, she realized that she was dealing with a custom system, which caused her eyes to shrink. From the way it looked, Lisa had her own custom system hooked up to this garage.

"The hell…?" she said under her breathe.

The girl noticed how the keypad had a fairly long set of wires along the wall leading upward toward the roof. Ronnie Anne wanted so dearly to just slice the wire and make some progress in entering the garage but knew that if anything, Lisa surely had some kind of setup that could trigger some kind of alarm. She sized up the wall for a window to look into the place. She slowly walked toward the window and groaned. Blacked out. Crudely painted but dense enough so no light could travel and show what resided inside. Annoyed, the girl walked over to the garage door and, to her dismay, it was wired with an alarm as well. She was well aware it would trigger the moment she did try to move the door upward.

"Well, shit…" Ronnie Anne said to herself. "Now what do I do?"

Ronnie Anne looked around to see if anyone came around as she dug into her hoodie pocket for her cellphone. She unlocked the phone, fumbling to open her contacts, she clicked her gallery. The girl groaned, knowing each second counted when it came to this mission. Before hitting the back button, she froze.

On her screen was an older picture of Ronnie Anne...and Lucy. It was a pic about two or three months after Lincoln left for the first time. Lucy was hugging her knees, she wore Ronnie's hoodie, sporting a shy smile towards the camera while Ronnie Anne stuck her tongue out. The picture was so… sweet. Calming. In a way, pure.

Ronnie Anne sighted lightly. She sat on the ground alongside the garage and slowly started swiping through her phone. Another picture of them appeared. Swipe. Another one. Swipe. Another one. Swipe. Another. For a good five minutes, the girl kept swiping through her phone, light tears rolling down her cheeks. She held her chest and stared idly at the select all option for the album. Slowly whimpering.

"Lu-Lu…" she thought to herself. "It...it was a lie. You were...a pawn. J-Just a pawn. None of this was real-none of it. I-I don't have feelings for you. I never did. You were just a sub for Lincoln...but…"

She selected all the photos and looked at the delete prompt as she griped her chest.

"But why does this hurt so much…?" she said out loud.

Before she could question it, her thumb fumbled and tapped the delete option and in a matter of seconds. A year and a half of memories was gone. Ronnie Anne stood motionless, not sure how to feel about what she just did. She had no idea if what she thought was true. She didn't know if she used Lucy or if she really had feelings for her. The idea stabbed her but just as quickly as she was stuck in thought, she remembered why she was there.

Lincoln.

She snapped out of it and backed out of her photo gallery to tap her contacts to call Lincoln, hoping he had an idea on how to get around this system. The phone rang but went to voice mail. She tried again with the same result, probably because he was underground, the signal would most likely be blocked. She groaned while returning to her other contacts and froze again.

Lynn.

She sighed and stared at the number with a balled fist, fighting with herself about wanting to call the number.

* * *

"This is freaky…" Lynn said to herself.

The room looked like any other room, but had an oddness to it that Lynn noticed as she stood in the lamp light she managed to find. Not only the room looked almost spotless, but everything seemed to be in perfect order and lined up neatly like all the furniture were plastic props in a dollhouse. The bed was made and looked like one of those floor models one would see at a mattress store, with a basic blue comforter on top and clean white pillows. The mirror and desk was lightly peppered with the minor clutter, like a hairbrush, some lotions and oils, and a box of tissues. It looked like an area of the room that Leni would use. All this was set on the left side of the room.

"Looks like she stayed up here with him at some point" Lynn said to herself.

She moved closer to see that the nightstand by the bed had just a lamp on it to the right. That was it. She was confused. As she looked over the room some more, nothing unusual stood out. Other than the smell, "it seems she left on her own accord." Lynn looked to the far end of the attic at what looked to be a dresser. She got closer to it, not remembering this item being here before. As she drew closer to the out of place dresser, a screeching tone ringed out, causing the poor girl to shrink in horror. However she covered her mouth as the screeching ringtone faded away. The girl turned red and giggled to herself sheepishly, glad that she was the only one around to account for her lapse in cowardice. She dug into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Her expression turned to one of disgust.

It was Ronnie Anne.

As much as Lynn would rather slit her own wrist than talk to her. However, for the good of the mission, the girl answered the phone.

"Yeah?" nearly snapped Lynn.

"Ronnie Anne...have you been crying?"

"No...you just sound-"

"Hey, don't puta me-I was trying to be-!"

"Nevermind. What do you want?"

Lynn pinned the phone between her ear and shoulder as she opened the first dresser drawer. The dresser drawer was empty. As she stared at the empty drawer, a static noise was heard, followed by nothing. Lynn took her phone and looked at the black screen.

She just stared at the dead phone. No saying a word. She put the phone away and checked the second drawer. Empty. She checked the third. Empty. She checked the final drawer on the bottom and noticed a certain weight in it just by grasping the loose brass handle. Lynn opened it only to see...books.

Just books. Two stacks of thick books that looked like something Lisa would read, but not something Bobby or Leni would. They were neatly stacked in four books per stack.

Lynn pulled the two stacks out and decided to look at what kinda of books they were. She turned her attention to first stack.

"Sophocles...Plato... Dostoyevsky...and... Burgess?" said Lynn to herself.

Oddly enough, the books didn't seem to have their original covers but had on plain white covers with the names in bland text on the front. Oddly enough, the original titles to these books seemed to have been ripped off, leaving Lynn very unaware about any of the tales that were resting on the floor before her. She just shrugged, returning her attention to the other stack of books, Lynn began to comb through them to see just what kind of books they were.

"1984 by George Orwell…" she started. " The Rise of the...Loud Kingdom..by Lisa Loud-what the hell?"

Lynn started at the book for a long period of time and sighed. She set that book aside and looked at the last two books. However, the books would not open. Lynn dug her nails into the cover and tried to pry it open with all of her might to no avail. Whatever substance was coating that book have basically locked it with all it's pages being stuck together along with the covers. Lynn studied the front to see the covers were also vandalized. The only word she could make out was the word 'Girl's" on one book. The rest was covered with a thick layer of black spray paint, only tapering toward the "Girl's" part, hinting the can was empty towards that point. The other book was successful covered completely.

She placed the first stack back into the drawer and the other three back as well, stacked just as neatly. She shut the drawer and sat the book near the exit.

She looked back toward the bed and nightstand on the right hand side of the room.

"Should be over there…" Lynn muttered to herself.

She walked over the nightstand and took a big breath. Silence. She slowly got on her knees and fumbled under the desk. She managed to pull out something that looked like it was taped underneath the nightstand, a scalpel. With the blade in hand, she checked the drawer to see a faint flashing light on the outside of it. A small but fairly noticeable trigger device with a red wire linked to it. Lynn used the blade and sliced the wire with ease, then opened the drawer without any alarm sounding off.

"Huh. Guess I was right not to second guess the plan" Lynn said to herself.

She opened the drawer to a sound of rattling. Inside where a set of padlocks.

'Figures" Lynn said to herself.

She got to her seat and lifted the lamp to see it.

Folded nice and thinly were two bus tickets.

"B11...B12…" she said, tilting her head. "That's...strange."

She looked around the room.

"He had to have left for the army. None of his stuff is here...or wait, wouldn't he leave his stuff here is he's just gonna end up coming back? Something is off. Wait…" she thought to herself.

She turned to look back at the tickets.

"Nevermind the second ticket…" she thought. "How did he leave if he left HIS ticket right here…?"

* * *

Leni's room was fairly clean. Lily was still fairly surprised. Despite her original thoughts about Leni, having her openly hand her access into her room was still a shock. Lily knew she wasn't even suppose to be out of Lincoln´s bedroom, let alone venture into this twisty house on her own, but the chance to better help her brother was too strong of a pull.

The girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm not some child" Lily thought to herself. "I can help Lincoln save everyone. I know I can…"

She opened her eyes and started looking around the room. Nothing really jumped out at her as odd. If anything, she felt rather let down by the whole thing. Lily looked at the neatly dressed filly bed and the organized items on her dresser. The floor was clean, the room smelt nice-nothing was wrong.

Lily's eyes darted around the near perfect room in a panic, wondering and shaking. Did she walk into a trap or was there something more to the passing of the key? She walked to the nightstand and opened the drawer quickly and paused. In the drawer was a jewery gift box with a sticky note on it that read "To Lily". Lily took the box out of the drawer and slowly opened the lid to see...what looked to be an ID card. However, as she studied it, she noticed the picture from the card was cut out and all the info was blacked out with lines from a permanent marker. Lily was confused but realized she had to keep this close. If it was left to her, it had to be important.

However, the box wasn't empty.

Disguised as flooring for the bottom of the box was a folded piece of paper. Lily pinched the corner of the paper and opened it. A few lines were blacked out, but most of it was readable. Lily was smart but didn't know just what some of these words meant. However, something popped from the top left corner of the page.

It was a logo of a stick of two snakes wrapped around it.

As Lily dug deeper into the box she found one more sheet of paper in the box. She opened it and stared at the paper. It was a photo.

"What….is this…?" Lily asked herself.

* * *

The voices started to plague his mind as the white haired boy shone his phone light in every empty corner of the dark room, dang maze of a basement. The fact the girls went to the most extreme when crafting a lower level to the house both impressed and disturb him. Lincoln held his head and fumbled into her pocket for a loose cigarette to light, in hopes of keeping himself at bay.

Lincoln lit his cig and kept walking, feeling as if he'd been walking for awhile because his condition was starting to sneak through. However, he made attempts to contact both Lynn and Ronnie Anne to try to get a status report of some kind, but couldn't get a single bar, believing it was because he was somewhat underground and that was causing some type of interference.

He flashed his phone's light in a few other areas as he passed. An empty space here, an unfinished room there. Nothing special. However, the more he pushed on, the colder, damper and orderly it got. There was fungi of unknown origin growing fully along the walls of the makeshift tunnels. However, down the way of what he considered a hall, he reached a room with a faint light shining from it and the door only slightly ajar.

He walked in and froze.

What he saw puzzled him and caused a jolt of fear to strike his spine. A small room with a large older dinning room table rested in the middle of the it. There were a few chairs. One normal wooden chair and a chair that seemed to me made out of an inactive electric chair. The boy slowly crept pass this room down another hallway, lit by hanging work lights amateurishly placed above. As he pushed forward, he saw a room at the very end. This main hallway seemed to be holding itself up with girders and long beams of thick lumber to keep it steady. The door to the room looked different from the others he had seen in the house.

It was a cold, steel door. It looked akin to the metal doors of a large walk-in freezer but this one had a tumbler lock system. Lincoln wasn't really sure where the door led, but judging from the heavy duty lock system and the keypad on the side of the door, one would think entering there would be a thing of nightmares. The hard to ignore smelly red paint over the door didn't help. Above the door was a bright white sign that read "BOX" in simple bold text.

Lincoln could only assume this was the "box of ivory" Luna rambled about.

Seeing how he couldn't enter, not that he wanted to, he looked to his right. A far off room rested there.

He walked to the room to see if it had also a keypad operated door. However, the door was ajar. Lincoln tensed up. He moved closer with his gun out, slowly making his way to the door. He cocked the hammer of his gun back and got to the door and sighed, slightly relieved. The keypad seemed to have short circuited. As Lincoln checked around he looked up. He didn't know the girls had installed some type of jackleg plumbing system underground. He flashed his light to see that a leak in one of the pipes. Lincoln opened the door all the way and pulled a string in the middle of the room.

The lights turned on and his eyes widened.

"… Fuck…"

* * *

Lynn began to pace back and forth, staring at the tickets she sat on the bed, completely dumbfounded.

"That just doesn't make any sense…" she said to herself. "She never explained the tickets properly. How can he be gone if it's still…"

She stopped. Turning her head to what looked to be Leni's desk. Lynn walked over and searched it, finding absolutely nothing worth a damn on the surface. Lynn groaned but stopped midway to notice a drawer in the middle. The girl opened it to see the soft red velvet insides and saw a note.

"Don't forget about her…"

Lynn was puzzled. Who was "her"?

She sat the note back into the drawer and closed it. She didn't know what else to look for.

"I did what I was told...now I have to get back down there and… " she started before gagging.

The heavy odor in the room had become something too unbearable to just breeze by. Lynn scanned the room up and down in hopes of finding out what was producing such a foul odor. She began her search under the bed. She realized there was only one thing under there. A single shoebox.

She retrieved the box and looked at it. Her brow raised as she saw the top of the shoebox is tapped downward and a giant 'L' written on the top with a black marker. She gave the box a sniff and felt the reflux of vomit in her mouth before she pushed it back down her throat. She didn't have to look in a mirror to know the smell alone was making her pale.

"The hell is even in this thing?" she asked herself. "She never mentioned this.

* * *

"What is in this photo?" Lily asked herself.

Lily stared heavily at the strange photo. She then put it to the side as she snooped around. She noticed an area she hadn't checked, the closet. She opened it up and saw a ton of fashionable clothes in there. Some Lily had never seen anywhere ever. Something about all these colorful dresses made her light up. The colors, the patterns, the attention to detail, everything about these dresses scream liveliness and creativity. She looked on the ground to find nurse scrubs. A few scrub outfits were folded nice and neatly on the floor of the closet. Along with that, a brown wig.

Leni didn't look like she was missing any hair, so to see a wig puzzled her.

Along with that, Lily noted something else, a notebook.

She picked it up and stared at it.

"S-H-E-P-A-R-D" Lily spelled out. "That spells out-"

"Shepard" said a voice from the door.

Lily quickly turned her head with a gasp. It was Ronnie Anne.

"R-Ronnie…" Lily said as a very upset looking Ronnie Anne walked in.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. "Lincoln said you were to stay put."

"L-Leni gave me this key last night a-and…" Started a scared Lily.

"Wait, she gave you what? Why didn't you tell us before we separated?" Ronnie Anne asked.

Lily looked at the ground. Ronnie Anne folded her arms.

"Well?" Ronnie Anne demanded sternly.

"I wanted to help my brother too..." Lily said.

Ronnie Anne looked at the child and sighed. She could tell Lily really wanted to help them find out more. She walked up and patted Lily on the head.

"It's okay, kid" Ronnie Anne said with a kind smile. "I didn't mean to sound mad. But, Linc loves you and wants you to be safe. And from the looks of it…" Ronnie Anne said before looking all over the room. "You may have had a better time finding info than me. I couldn't get into the garage without getting all of us in trouble."

Lily smiled, glad to hear some praise from someone her brother fancied. That caused Lily to walk over and get the photo. She walked back and handed it to Ronnie Anne.

"What is that?" asked Lily, clearly clueless.

Ronnie Anne laughed.

"Lily, this is a..wait...that date…" Ronnie Anne said.

Lily tilts her head.

"Lenore?" said Lily.

Ronnie Anne froze.

"W-Wha…?" asked Ronnie Anne.

"On the back of the picture" said Lily. "It says Lenore."

Ronnie Anne was shaken as she turned the photo over.

"It's,,,Lenore...oh, God…" Ronnie Anne said.

Lily wasn't sure why Ronnie Anne was acting this way. Ronnie began to sweat heavily, shaking uncontrollably. She even lost her balance, falling on the bed as tears rolled down her cheeks. Lily dashed on to the bed to comfort her.

"Ronnie Anne!" Lily said, clearly frightened.

"That…" Ronnie Anne started. "Was a sonogram…"

"W-What?" Lily said, still confused.

Ronnie Anne holded Lily's hand.

"L-Lily, I-I think Lenore was-" started Ronnie Anne.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

An ear splitting scream rang out from above.

"LYNN!" the two screamed as they rushed out of the room

* * *

"My niece…" Lincoln said to himself as he covered his mouth.

Lincoln stood in this office, that clearly belonged to Lisa, in shock. The shaking boy was looking at fifty screens along a wall, all linked to various cameras in the house. Lincoln saw enough and heard enough to know what happened. He stared at the monitor at the dead center of the wall that had a camera in the attic. There was no way around it. In front of a screaming, crying Lynn, who have crawled her way on the bed, howling like a beast in the twilight...was the dried remains of an infant.

There was, what he could only assume, was Lenore Loud.


	18. Get Out (Pt 3)

Lincoln quietly stared at the washed up colors of the three girls that flickered on the screen, lost of words. Lynn's horrified screams ripping painfully through the well aligned speaker system that lined the side of the monitor wall in compartments built into the side walls. In the middle of the room was a reclining chair and a generic side table. On the table rested a blank book. On top of the book was a piece of paper, a paper Lincoln had checked before turning to the monitors. The paper, strangely enough, contained names. Girl names for newborns. Lincoln didn't have to ask too many questions and he didn't have to guess why the names were there. The whole page was just full of ideas for names. Loan, Lacy, Liby, Lupe, Lupa, Lolly, Lindsy, all crossed out. However, at the bottom of the page, the name Lenore was underlined and circled. What made things more chilling was that it signed by both Leni and Bobby. There were heart doodles drawn around the name, clear signs of affection and attachment to the child.

What went wrong?

Lincoln surveyed the room further, shaking and stumbling at the very idea of a niece he had no idea existed was hidden in a box in the house he grew up in. He took note of the many leaky pipe that loomed above the low hanging lighting fixtures. There were loose and misplace pipes throughout the room from the ceiling, sticking out of the ground and running along inside the walls in unseeable patterns. Lincoln grew concerned why this part of the house needed that much water flowing through it. He walked toward on of the walls for a better view. Some were rusted. Some seemed brand new. Some where plastic. Others where metalic and skinny, using thick and flat pieces of lumber like catwalks to stay planted with nothing more than duct tape to keep the pipes from moving as water passed through it. There were even common garden hoses that formed mangled vines along the walls, bleeding liquid along the gray cinder patch that filled a void between the barely walled areas with the mediocre drywall job.

The floor was mainly a clay-like dirt with only half of the room paved with concrete, random sheets of paper with black and red scribblings lacing the floor along with what looked like broken glass and ink smears from busted pens. In the far left corner, leading back to the door he entered on the right, was a desk. On it were four different laptops, a couple of books, a lamp and a few boxes. Next to the desk was a waste basket. Lincoln walked up to the desk, seeing how it was the only other noteworthy thing in the entire room, he opted to check it before leaving. Lincoln sat on the chair by the desk, pulling the lamp's chain to turn it on and look at the contents on the desk. To the right of the main laptop were a few of the books, walled off by the other three laptops that were stacked on the desk. As Lincoln looked at the books, he wasn't too surprised but still felt a sense of dread.

One book was on cult study called The Children of Blue Eyes. The next one was the bible's Old Testament. Both were bookmarked as if Lisa had been going back and forth through each book in tandem. The third book caught Lincoln slightly off guard. It was called MK: The Ultra Control Method. The book didn't speak to him clearly about what it was off the bat. He pulled out his phone and started to take quick pictures of the books. Before locking the screen, he looked to see if he could make a call. No bars. He sighed and locked the screen, figuring he will have to leave the basement before it could be useful in the slightest. The fourth book on the desk was simply a French teaching book.

He looked away from the desk and eyed the waste basket. More books. He checked inside. In his clear vision, all he saw were different versions of the bible, a book that had the words Faustus on it and few random sheets of paper with random scribblings. Lincoln bent over the bin and stared at the frantic writing on the paper. Some of it written normally in black ink. Some cryptically and overly metaphorical in red ink. Highlighter on what seemed to be the important parts of the text. Lincoln dug a few pages from the basket and sat them on the table, he managed to fish out six pages. He stacked them neatly and looked over them

* * *

As Lincoln began to examine the strange writing in Lisa's den, Ronnie Anne was getting a hold of an hysterical Lynn, shaking her and screaming for her to calm down while Lily huddled against the wall downstairs, too afraid to go up to the attic and see just what was happening. Ronnie Anne pinned Lynn to the wall to keep her from spastically flailing her arms around.

"Lynn!" shouted Ronnie Anne. "Calm the hell down!"

"This wasn't a part of the plan!" Lynn said. "This isn't a part of the plan! This isn't a part of the plan!"

Ronnie Anne grabbed Lynn by the collar "What plan?!" "The hell are you talking about?!"

"She told me…" lamented Lynn, tired and whimpering. "She promised me if I…"

Ronnie Anne's eyes widen. She slowly backed away. Lynn's eyes teared up as they met Ronnie Anne's in fear like a scared child.

"Lynn…" Ronnie Anne started. "What...w-what plan are you talking about? Who is she? Did...did you…?"

Lynn looked away.

"You...you bitch…" Ronnie Anne said pulling out her switchblade.

Lynn, without thinking leaped over the bed for the nightstand and got a hold of the scalpel she used before and pointed it at Ronnie Anne. Ronnie Anne gritted her teeth as she backed up, leading Lynn back to the middle of the attic and kept her blade up. The two circled one another. Ronnie Anne shot Lynn the most venomous of looks while Lynn smiled widely.

"Y-You won't do it…" Lynn said. "My sister is right down the ladder in the hall. You wouldn't want to hurt me with her being so-"

"Lily?" asked Ronnie Anne sweetly.

"Y-Yes, Ronnie?" answered Lily from below.

"Sweetheart, why don't you go back and clean up Leni's room? Take the notebook back to the bedroom and wait there for me, okay?" Ronnie Anne asked in a motherly manner.

Lynn was stunned to the point that she stopped circling.

"S-Sure! Are you okay?" Lily asked.

"I'm fine, Lily. Just do what I asked and we'll talk in a bit. Your big brother will be mad if you're not in that room, okay?" Ronnie Anne added.

"Okay!" Lily replied before dashing away.

Lynn looked at Ronnie Anne angrily.

"You're trying to take my family from me or something, Santiago..?" asked Lynn coldly.

"We're not here to talk about that" Ronnie Anne started. And from the looks of things, we're not here to talk about the fetal carcass on the floor, either. Now tell me the plan-"

"We're already doing Linc's plan-" answered Lynn quickly with a quiver.

"No-I mean YOUR plan" said Ronnie Anne. "You told her about the plan...did you?"

Lynn is silent.

"You fucking did…" Ronnie Anne spat out, clearly enraged.

"She can fix me…" Lynn whispered.

"W-What..?" Ronnie Anne said. "What are you-"

Lynn was shaking at this point. "She promised if...if I...if I told her what we were planning, she could…"

"You snitch…" Ronnie Anne said through her teeth. "You sold us out!"

Lynn laughed nervously.

"Y-Yeah, thank you for your insight, jail bird!" Lynn taunted. "At least we can kill each other in that nice glass house of yours.."

"I did it to give myself a second chance..." Ronnie Anne said, moving closer to Lynn with the blade.

"So did I…" Lynn replied, moving closer in sync with her.

Ronnie Anne smiled slyly. "Are you finally admitting it?".

"Admitting what?" asked Lynn.

"That you still love your brother...more than a brother?" Ronnie Anne asked as she moved closer.

Lynn paused and slowly lowered the surgical knife.

Given the window, Ronnie Anne lunged forward into Lynn and pinned her against the wall, shoving the knife into the wall as they made impact. Lynn let out a soft gasp as a cold sweat took form and rolled down her face. Ronnie Anne calmly looked at Lynn and sighed.

"There's nothing I'd love to do more…" she started. "Than stab you like you stabbed me and end your pitiful life. But I'll get more pleasure in taking Lincoln away from you. Not out of spite, but because I know I wouldn't hurt him or Lily. I had a thing...with Lucy. But that doesn't mean I love him any less. I will protect him from everyone here…"

Ronnie Anne backed away and let Lynn slowly slide down the wall and onto the floor, trembling in a pool of her own sweat at the girl that stood over her.

"That includes you, Lynn…" Ronnie Anne said as she put the blade back in her pocket.

Lynn sat down on the ground hugging her knees as Ronnie Anne lied on the floor across from her, panting as she set her sights on her.

"Santiago-" Lynn started.

"Where's my brother?" asked Ronnie Anne.

"The army…" Lynn answered as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"You're lying…" Ronnie Anne answered coldly.

Lynn clapped her hands together in a sign of annoyance. "You want the truth!? I don't know!."

Ronnie Anne balled her hands on the floor. "You've lied to me before. How do I know you're not lying to me now?"

"I. Don't. Know…." Lynn said slowly.

The two of them locked eyes, not breaking sights on one another. Ronnie Studied Lynn to the best of her ability for any tell. Lynn's shaking and sweating had ceased. She was straight faced and held eye contact. Ronnie Anne sighed. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it. She knew that, for the first time in a while, Lynn was indeed telling the truth. She puffed it and stared at Lynn.

"If you don't know the whole story...what do you know?" Ronnie Anne asked.

Lynn, without breaking the stare, pointed to the nightstand.

"There's two bus tickets on the nightstand…" Lynn said.

Ronnie Anne took a long drag of her cig. "Two?"

"Yeah…" Lynn said.

Ronnie Anne quickly turned her head to look around, seeing if there was anything else worth noting. She turned her attention back to Lynn and took another drag.

"What else?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Lynn sighed. "Well...I found it odd that all his clothes was still here. Even if he was planning to return, why leave your clothes? Not to mention he never took his ticket."

"He never got on the bus..." said Ronnie Anne with a slight shake. She looked toward the bed and back to Lynn. "...but neither did Leni…"

Lynn's eyes bucked a bit while Ronnie Anne took a drag.

"It's pretty obvious they shared this room…" Ronnie Anne said. "I mean, the large bed, the girly desk with the mirror, the two tickets-not to mention the box baby that was once your niece on the floor. So...where is he?"

"I couldn't tell you…" Lynn said.

Finishing her cig Ronnie Anne flickered the dead butt into a dark corner of the room. "But you can tell me what you and Lisa planed…"

"I can't-" started Lynn.

Ronnie Anne pulled out her switchblade again, causing Lynn to freeze.

"Either you start talking now or I will shred you into ribbons and throw what's left in the box with Lenore…" Ronnie Anne said calm and coldly.

Lynn buried her face into her palms, in what seemed as a gesture to hide her shame.

"Lincoln was...out with Luna…" Lynn started. "Lily went off with the twins, I was alone with them. They understood I-I'm sick and...didn't judge me...they prayed with me. They said I can change. They said they can help me-"

"Like a gang" Ronnie Anne cut in dryly.

Lynn stared at Ronnie Anne with anger leaking from her pores. "Don't compare my family to your twisted version-"

"So, a cult. Whatever, how's the Kool-Aid taste?" said Ronnie Anne with a smirk.

Lynn chuckled. "You think you got jokes?"

"You were always my favorite punchline, Loud" Ronnie Anne retorted.

Lynn stopped chuckling.

"So much so, you take a plan your brother, the brother you say you love so much, made, and you side with the enemy, look at the things Lisa told you to look at and report what you find to her so she knows what to cover up. Am I in the ballpark?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"Sure you shouldn't have been a cop instead of a two-bit drug pusher?" asked Lynn in a sly tone.

"Weed and H is $15 a G in the street. Have ten in your pocket and waste your stash in an hour. $150 in your pocket. Meth, a popular product, is $80 a G. $800. Coke is $100, a grand in an hour. See my point?" Ronnie Anne explained.

Lynn scoffed.

"So...you had no prior knowledge of Lenore?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Lynn shook her head.

"Funny" Ronnie Anne said with a chuckle.

"What is?" asked Lynn, annoyed.

"That I know your own fucking family more than you do…" Ronnie Anne said with a grin.

"Go to hell…" Lynn said softly.

"Your house is hell, Loud…" Ronnie Anne said equally as soft.

"I'm finished!" At that point, the sounds of footsteps were heard from below as Lily returned from Leni's room.

"Good girl! Now, go wait in the bedroom, okay?"

"Okay, Ronnie!" said Lily as she walked back to the room.

Ronnie Anne waited to hear the click of Lincoln's door before moving. There was a slight click that echoed the hallway all the way to the attic. Ronnie Anne hoped off the ground, still staring at Lynn. Not with anger. Not with hate. But with pity.

"Just...clean everything up and shut this place off. I'll be with Lily" said Ronnie Anne as she went to the exit, Leaving Lynn on the floor

* * *

Lincoln, dumbfounded, stared at the lone monitor that had eyes in the attic. In his hands where the papers he was just reading. The madness of Lynn's reveal left him at a loss. At this point Lincoln felt himself looking down into the abyss, wondering if he fell in or it had fallen on himself. He trusted her. He had faith in her. Visited her. Put all his time in her. Being feed the idea of things going back to normal once she got out, that she was cured. Only to find out she had not changed. None of them has. Nothing was changing. Nothing was going to change. He got up from the chair and folded the sheets of paper with his shaking hands to put them in his pocket. He turned around to the boxes behind the desk. He approached them cautiously and opened the closest box and saw.

A file was there.

He pulled the file out of the box and opened it.

"Subject A-1? Subject B-1? What?" Lincoln thought to himself confused.

He looked at the input from Lisa. The input was from a month ago. The day was blacked out, but the month and year were up to date.

"Subject A-1 has been reacting positively to the dilaudid test batch the same with the ketamine batch. However, over exposure has proven to be taking a large toll on the cognitive process of the subject. The subject has experienced episodes ranging between being in a mild-catatonic state (ketamine) or suffering from unprompted psychotic breaks after experiencing undetected stimuli (dilaudid). Alone, dilaudid functions as morphine but constant doses proved, in the subject's case, that certain fresh traumas and a long period drug induced tests fail to provide its labeled purpose and has hindered this project. I will move forward to the testing of the RAFI P-2 at this stage."

It ends there.

Lincoln wasn't sure what any of that meant. Testing? What was she testing? Is it a treatment? Who was she testing it on? Where there others down here? Lincoln started to grow fearful, the idea that his family might have been kidnapping people.

This couldn't be right.

He looked in the box and saw beakers, test tubes, sheets of paper, he stopped. Lincoln didn't care anymore. He came for answers and got them. At the moment, Lincoln knew what he had to do. He looked around and soon found something was off, a disc. On the surface of the disc was written in thick permanent marker 'S.O.S', it had to be Luna's disc. Lincoln wasn't sure and quite frankly but he didn't care. He took the disc and put it in his hoodie pocket and walked from behind the desk back to where the monitors were. He looked up to the catwalk-like structure where some flimsy pipes were and jumped up to hold on to it. Using all his strength, he yanked his body upward and the boards gave way, busting a pipe as he struggled. After that he hopped onto another board busting a second pipe in the process, allowing all of the water contained in the plumbing to rush onto the floor. As the water gushed from the tubing and started to fill the floor, Lincoln walked to the door, leaving it ajar like it was when he found it. Lincoln passed through not worrying about what he touched, what was recorded or anything for that matter. He felt the water would erase any trace of him being there. He just knew he was done here.

There was nothing left for him to do.

* * *

Lynn, Ronnie Anne and Lily waited in Lincoln's room. Lincoln walked in, slightly wet and with an emotionless face, Ronnie Anne and Lynn were stunned, seeing him so blank. Lily cared not. She quickly embrace her brother and hugged him tight. Lincoln held Lily close and stroked her hair, but the gesture in itself carried an air of sorrow.

"L-Linc-" started Ronnie Anne.

"Ronnie, you can go home...I'll talk to you later, okay?" Lincoln said in a deadpan manner.

Ronnie Anne was so confused and unsettled by Lincoln's cold demeanor. She went through the window without saying a word. Lily looked to her brother worried.

"Lincy?.." asked Lily.

Lincoln smiled and patted her on the head and then darted his eyes to Lynn, who in turn started to sweat.

"Lily-bug, me and Lynn are going to talk about big kid stuff, okay?" Lincoln said to his little sister lovingly.

Lily nodded as Lincoln walked into the hall. Lynn, nervous as could be, followed behind. Once she crossed the threshold, Lincoln calmly shut the door. He looked at Lynn and sighed.

"Lincoln-" Lynn started.

"No...don't…" Lincoln interrupted. "Allow me…"

Lynn gulped.

"You know what's funny?" Lincoln asked. "I knew you were lying to me. I wanted to believe...soooo bad...that you changed. You didn't. I wanted to believe so badly that I can help our family become strong and normal again. I can't. I wanted to believe so badly our family hasn't done some terrible things. I...I think they did. And I really...and I mean, REALLY...wanted to believe you wouldn't side with Lisa so quickly...and try to destroy my plans to help you all…..but you did…"

"Lincoln, please…" Lynn said as she tried to grab Lincoln's hand.

Lincoln pulled away. "They...they are all drugged... They are all being torture to learn this fake ass religion built around ME!"

Lynn jumped back.

"I'm not a savior, Lynn!" Lincoln shouted in a hushed tone. "I'm not s-some messiah, I didn't ask to be! I just want things to go back to normal but y'all are doing it all over again! I'm fucked in the head because of all of you guys!"

"Li-" Lynn started.

"I take pills! I do to therapy, I sit on a couch and talk about my "fun time in a boarding school for criminals-in-training and baby psychopaths only to come home to the set of some creepy ass thriller movie! I don't want to do that anymore! I made a choice to stay away! I didn't want to come back! I had no choice but...now I think I might as well make my own choice for once!" Lincoln shouted.

"Just listen-" Lynn pleaded meekly.

"No! I'm done, Lynn...with all of this" Lincoln said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "T-The lying...the secrets...the punishments...the anxiety...I'm...I'm tired. I have a little sister to care for...I'm done here"

"What..?"

"Yeah...I give up" Lincoln responded coldly.

"You can't…" Lynn fretted.

"Yes, I can. I just did" Lincoln said sternly.

"You promised-" Lynn said.

"Well, so did dad. That didn't stop HIM from leaving either, huh?" Lincoln retorted.

Lynn got quiet.

Lincoln paused for a moment, "I'm doing what's right for me and for Lily. She's all I have in this world...and I plan to protect her…"

"You have me…" Lynn said.

The boy scoffed.

"Ronnie Anne has been realer with me than you have…" Lincoln said.

Without warning, Lynn pinned Lincoln to Lisa's bedroom door and held him there. Lincoln is so taken aback he didn't have time to react. Lynn pressed her entire weight on him, making it hard for him to wriggle away.

"Lynn!" Lincoln grunted in the scuffle. "Get off me!"

Lynn leaned her face in and kisses Lincoln. The kiss was wild, wet and dramatic. Lincoln kept struggling but the kiss made his heart sunk, like this was a deeper betrayal.

"I bet she can't do this…" Lynn said as she unbuckles Lincoln's pants. "Not better than me…"

"L-Lynn, stop…" Lincoln implored as his body got still.

"Shhh.." Lynn said as she started to remove her shorts. "Just let it happen...it'll be fine."

"Lynn, I said no-stop…"

She leaned in closer, pressing her bottom half into his.

"Let's test it…" Lynn cooed in a dazed like speech.

"L-Lily is in the room...she'll hear you and-" Lincoln quavered shakingly.

"I been dreaming of this...just don't get hard. Prove me you never thought of this…" Lynn said.

Lincoln began to sweat. "This is wrong…".

I can feel the blood rush where it needs to be…" Lynn joked in between giggles.

"This is sick…" Lincoln murmured softly as she tried to move.

Lynn gripped him harder and pressed his back into the wall.

"Trust me...you'll love it-I know I will" Lynn remarked with an insidious laugh.

"I-I don't want this!" Lincoln rasped angrily.

"O'...com'n, love!" said Lynn in a British accent.

Lincoln froze.

'W-Wha…?" Lincoln asked sheepishly.

"I figured if I sound like Luna, you'd like it mo-" she said before giggling. "Seems like your little friend likes my Luna impression…"

Lincoln grew pale and clammy, he was growing stiff as a corpse.

Lynn started moving her hand onto Lincoln's private place, causing him to sweat.

"L-Lynn! Please!" he shouted. "I-I don't like this!"

"Let me love you…" Lynn said with a wide grin. "...the way you deserved to be loved.

* * *

In that moment, the room grew still. Lincoln looked into the hellish soul in Lynn. Her eyes looked like those of a serpent. Her hair untamed and pointed like the pelt and horns of a wild beast. Her teeth like fangs. The hallway looked like it was shifting, tilting up and down. The pictures on the walls lost their texture and looked like blaring shapes, bouncing from 2D to 3D on a dime. And then the sounds came, like...running water...a shower head. It sounded like a shower. Some voices rose from the sounds. They sounded like...boys. They were laughing. The colliding sounds of the laughter and the water caused Lincoln to shake. The faint feeling of stomach acid hitting the brim of his throat. The pounding of his heart sounding as if death was knocking, making its new residence within his chest known.

Then it came. Amongst laughter and water, the sound of crying was heard. His crying.

It was happening again.

Lincoln quickly snapped out of it and grabbed Lynn's throat, causing her to gag. Lynn quickly took hold of Lincoln's hand, trying to pry him loose to no avail. Lincoln slowly pulled out his gun with his free hand and sticks it in her mouth. Tears rolling down his eyes.

"I...said...no" he snarled with a quake in his voice.

Lynn was silent, crying and sweating but not risking a word or else he might shoot.

"I said no...a-and you wouldn't listen to me…" Lincoln said.

He threw Lynn to the ground and pointed the gun at her. Lynn silently stared the barrel, pale as death. She looked at him with fearful eyes, wondering what was going to happen. Realizing she have stepped into a mess she couldn't backpedal from. Lincoln buckled his pants while keeping his gun on her.

"I...want you...to stay away from me….and stay away from Lily…" Lincoln commanded with eyes full of red. "If you come near me again...on my father's grave...I will shoot you dead...get me?!"

Lynn nodded.

Lincoln walked back into his room, slamming the door and locking it. Lynn crawled into her room and shutted the door. All that could be heard was Lincoln softly crying in his room.

* * *

The day went on without Lincoln and Lily. The family came back. Everything sounded normal, though Lisa was angry to find out the basement was actually flooded. However, she was sure it was the flimsy pipes. She complained about her research being ruined. Dinner came and went and multiple people knocked to check on the two. No answer. Hours passed. The moon raised and people retired for the night. Time rolled on and not a sound came from the room.

It was 1:00 AM

In Lincoln's room, he had the door barricaded once again. However, he was awake. He pulled out his phone to message Ronnie Anne. He knew it was late and figured he'd try to text her.

"R.A.-meet me on Canal Street. It's important" he typed before sending.

Lincoln took two bags and plopped them near the window and walked to the bed where Lily was sleeping. He gently shook the child awake. Lily's eyes opened.

"Hey, Lily-Bug…" Lincoln whispered softly. "Time to wake up."

"What's wrong, Lincy?" asked the tired child.

"We...we're leaving…" Lincoln said.

 _"All who are worthy shall approach their blood relative Savior for him to uncover nakedness; for he is the Savior. 'If pleased, He shall uncover the nakedness of your Mother, that is, the nakedness of your newest breeder. She is your Mother; you are her flock. You shall only uncover his nakedness in front of the Mother if he dears speak it to be so. Suffer for him and he shall give to you the fruit of your devotion and labor. Those who bare his fruit shall be blessed from all illness, sickness, and worry, for He is the perfect Son, with a perfect seed. My you have the proper field for Him and Him alone…"_


	19. RUN

Lily quickly sat up on the bed, quickly removing the covers and looked at Lincoln, wide awake and shocked by her brother's comment.

"W-What?" Lily asked softly.

Lincoln looked away and sighed.

"Look, Lily…" Lincoln started. "I know it doesn't make sense to you because you're young, but trust me, leaving here will be the best option."

But...but…" Lily started.

As Lily stumbled to find the right words, Lincoln made his way back to the barricade to make sure it was secured. Lily finally got out of the bed and walked over to Lincoln, tugging at his hoodie.

"W-We can't leave them…" Lily said.

Lincoln looked tiredly at her.

"Lily-" he started.

"They're our family, you said so" Lily pleaded.

Lincoln lightly groaned.

"Well, Lily…" he said as he patted her softly on the head. "Things change."

Lily backed away.

"We can't leave…" she murmured under her breathe.

"It's for our own good" Lincoln said.

Lincoln quietly reached out under the bed to fish out Lily's shoes and lightly tossed them to her. Then he got to the window with the bags and unzipped them, pulling out an old hoodie that used to belong to him. He walked over to Lily with the hoodie hung over his arm.

"Put this on" Lincoln said. "It's cold out.

Lily held the jacket and stared at it blankly. Lincoln went back to the bag and zippered it before opening the window to look outside. It was dead outside. Not a soul, beast or man, were alive at that hour. Lincoln looked back at Lily. Though her shoes were on, Lily was still staring at her jacket.

Lincoln sighed.

"Lily, we really need to go. Like, now…" Lincoln said.

Lily gave a look at Lincoln and started to shake her head slowly.

"We….we can't…" she said softly.

"Lily, please…" Lincoln said, growing concerned.

"We can't leave them...not yet, not like this…" Lily said shakingly as tears started to form.

Lincoln quickly moved over to Lily, shushing her as he stepped closer and then hugged her.

"Lily, what's wrong? We don't have time-" Lincoln started.

"Lola and Lana…" Lily said as tears fell down her face.

Lincoln paused.

"W-What about them?" he asked.

Lily lightly sniffled.

"They were acting normal...they want us to be a real family...they don't want to hurt us…" Lily said.

Lincoln broke the hug and sighed.

"Lily, I know deep down, they are still in there...but enough is enough" Lincoln said. "I'm not making the same mistake twice."

"But-" Lily said.

"No buts" Lincoln said bluntly as he took Lily's hoodie and put it on her. "I mean it."

Lily stared at Lincoln, showing her disappointment.

"You wanted to help them before…" Lily said defeated.

"I did at one point" Lincoln said, trying to keep calm. "I can't do that now...Lily, we...we..might have to call the police…"

"Lincoln" Lily said. "We're their family. I don't remember them the way you do. But if we abandon them now-"

"Lily, something happened here…" Lincoln said sternly. " I don't know what, but they are weirder than normal and dangerous, I think people got hurt...something bigger is at play…"

Lily huffed.

Lincoln started to quickly dig into his pocket to pull out the pages he retrieved from Lisa's basement office. He browsed through them for the original first page he read while he was down there. He cleared his throat, hands now shaking.

"A-All who are worthy shall approach their blood relative Savior for him to uncover nakedness; for he is the Savior. 'If pleased, He shall uncover the nakedness of your Mother, that is, the nakedness of your newest breeder. She is your Mother; you are her flock. You shall only uncover his nakedness in front of the Mother if he dears speak it to be so. Suffer for him and he shall give to you the fruit of your devotion and labor. Those who bare his fruit shall be blessed from all illness, sickness, and worry, for He is the perfect Son, with a perfect seed. My you have the proper field for Him and Him alone…" Lincoln recited.

Lily just stared at him, at a lost for words.

"W-What does that mean?" Lily asked.

"Lily, it's...it's a bible verse, a made-up one" Lincoln said. "This is what Lisa has been telling the others. She brainwashed them."

"What?" Lily asked, still not totally sure about just what was happening.

Lincoln was starting to lose his temper.

"Lily, they aren't themselves because of this, they aren't right in the head. Something is even worst here because…" Lincoln said as she looked at the page and sighed. "You remember mom?"

Lily nodded. Lincoln cleared his throat.

* * *

"Dear, Rita Loud…" Lincoln started. "We are sorry to hear you and your support group have decided to decline our proposal to join our rehab facility. Though we wish you and your support group to reconsider your decision, we all wish you the best on your road to sobriety-"

"Lincy, I-I don't' understand…" Lily said, even more confused.

"Lily, mom was a drunk, she was sick" he started, starting to sweat. "And where do sick people go?"

Lily stared at her stressed brother, unsure if she wanted to answer.

"Lily, please…" Lincoln nearly begged.

"The hospital...to see a doctor…" Lily said softly.

"That's right…" Lincoln declared as he stood up. "So...think about it. She's not walking around here. She's not at rehab. Where is she?"

Lily froze. She never gave their mother a second thought. The fact she hasn't called or written since they were told that she was residing at a rehab facility was odd. No one spoke about her. No signs of her ever being here was noted. Come to think of it, she noticed it's like her existence here had been totally erased. Lily began to stare at the window, thinking about the situation. Lincoln noticed this and realized his sister was starting to doubt her family.

"Lily...this note is from well over a year ago…" Lincoln started. "Think about it. No one knows where mom is, no one knows where Ms Aster is, no one knows where Bobby is, and they all have ties to this family in some way and all of them disappeared while you and me were not around. Don't you not find that kinda strange?"

Lily was just silent as Lincoln moved in closer.

"There's an underground lair, Lily" he resumed. "They're being drugged. There are torture rooms down there. For Christ sake...we even saw the dried up body of a baby in a shoebox left in a room with our crazy mother-sister and a possible missing person victim!"

"Lincy…" Lily said as she lowered her head, clearly understanding the magnitude of the situation.

Lincoln took a knee beside her.

"Lily, I was told...well over a year ago...sometimes you have to, you know...let go" he said. "That and...no matter how hard you try, you can't save everyone. Sometimes you have to save yourself. I love you. I love you so much, that I would give up on everything else to make sure you're safe, healthy and loved…"

Tears slowly started rolling down Lily's face.

"I don't know what to do or where we will go...but as long as we're together, it's going to be okay…" Lincoln said with a soft smile.

"Lincy…" started a weeping Lily. "I love you…"

Lincoln pulled her close and hugged her tightly as the child borrowed her face into his shoulder, damping it. Lincoln closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the small moment of peace he was given. He knew Lily would be upset, but knew that certain beasts can't be slain. He remembered how tragic things in the house ended before. What he wanted was to be the one thing Lily needed in her life: a protector.

As he opened his eyes slowly, he felt the room get cold. Lily was hugged up in his arms, trembling violently. Lincoln was at a lost a he broke up the hug. He quickly turned his attention to her, she seemed to be paralyzed with fear. Lily darted her gaze, towards the bed and Lincoln did the same, turning pale in the moonlight.

On the bed, sitting calmly, was Lynn.

* * *

Lynn looked over to her brother and youngest sister with a still calmness. The eerie silence laid the air that ran through the room thick and heavy. Lynn sat there, studying the two fearful youths that were on the floor, looking up to her like some foreseeable disaster that creped along the clouds above. Lynn just rested there motionless for what seemed like hours, not breaking from her emotionless dead expression.

Lincoln began to get off the ground, Lynn's expression shifted to an unsettling grin. She slowly moved her hand behind her back. Lily took notice and quickly rushed close to Lincoln, afraid of what was to come. Lynn pulled out a shining, thin object, a scalpel. Lynn tilted her head slowly and looked at Lincoln.

"Bonjour, Lincoln…" Lynn said calmly.

Lincoln's heart sank.

"L-Lincy...I'm scared…" Lily said softly.

Lincoln held Lily close and shooted Lynn an angry look.

"Lynn…" Lincoln said. "I don't have time to deal with you. You're sick. You need help, you all do."

"I know" Lynn said as she examined her blade. "I know we all need help...that's why you can't leave…"

Lynn looked back at Lincoln and chuckled to herself. Lincoln was stunned by this.

"I-I can't help any of you-" Lincoln started.

"That's not true…" Lynn said. "I know now...I know it all…" Lynn resumed.

"What do you mean?" Lincoln asked.

"Think about it…" Lynn started. "It all started after you left. Everything and everyone has fallen apart. You are the key to stability. The key of normality we crave. What we didn't understand, dear brother, is that you are the beginning and the end...you are the savior and the destroyer of this family…"

"Lynn, have you been taking your meds?" Lincoln asked.

Lynn chuckled. "Have you...dear brother?"

Lincoln paused and Lily looked at Lincoln, fearing that her brother's illness had been present the entire time.

"Lincy...have you-" Lily started.

"Lily, I'm fine" Lincoln quickly answered.

"Ohh?" Lynn began. "What about earlier. You looked like you saw...a demon…"

As Lynn said that, Lincoln held his head and groaned. His vision started to blur in and out as the shape as the room began to shift. The bed started to melt and the pillows started to float up. Lynn's chuckles began to echo along with the faint sounds of running water reverberating in the background. Lincoln shut his eyes and opened them.

He was in a shower room.

"No...no...no…" Lincoln thought to himself. "H-How did I...why am I..?"

The prolonged squeak of a door opening is heard. Lincoln froze. He looked around and paused. As he checked around, the room suddenly was surrounded by a massive cloud of thick steam. The wet floor was the generic gray tile job with a stainless steel chromed drain in the middle of the room. searching around with this kind of pressure was starting to cause Lincoln to sweat. He used his forearm to wipe his forehead only to notice his clothes were gone. He was completely naked.

"This can't be happening…" Lincoln thought to himself as his body began to tremble.

His legs were now at the strength of toothpicks, wobbling and barely buckling under the weight of Lincoln's heavy arms. His throat felt like it was clogged with gravel and his stomach spun as if the acids within it manifested into a monsoon. The sound of the running water hitting the titles was flushed out by the rapid thumping of his heartbeat. In the clouded room, a figure started to take form. Lincoln's eyes widen with distress after seeing it was Lynn, completely naked as well.

However, Lincoln also was beyond words, leaving his mouth agape with a face that screamed out horror. Lynn, in Lincoln's eyes, had styled her hair to look like Luna's. Not only that, Lincoln saw this Lynn had exaggerated sharpened canines and small horns protruding out of her head. Lynn was something akin to a demon.

Lincoln began to back away.

"Why...do you look like that?" asked Lincoln, voice shaking with the rest of him body.

Lynn giggled.

"I'm what you secretly desire, brother" Lynn said. "Can't you see? We're all sick."

Lincoln shaked his head.

"No…" Lincoln said with Tears forming. "I-I'm not sick-"

"Of course, you're sick" Lynn said with a smile.

"Not like you" Lincoln answered quickly.

"So, you mean to tell me you never thought about this before? Not once? You were a child once too…" Lynn said as she started walking toward him. "You mean to tell me you never had one impure thought?"

Lincoln slowly backed up. "S-Stop it...get away…"

"What about the flirting when you came home the first time?" asked Lynn. "What about the kiss? What about the action in the car? You felt nothing?"

Lincoln kept backing up and covered his ears.

"Stop talking!" he barked.

"You can't keep running from the truth, Lincoln...you're just as broken. Give in to your shame, embrace it. The lies will go away…" Lynn said.

* * *

Lincoln stared at Lynn, who started to look more and more like Luna as seconds crawl on. Lincoln was horrified having to watch it. What hurt moreover was keeping control of his body. Lincoln wasn't confused of who he was looking at. What scared him was how his body was going to react. He felt something was unearthing itself, another layer a sickness he felt he was rid of. This thought that at some point he would think of anything so vile in nature about his own sister forced the blood within his body to flood his head and bubble and steam like it was the iron side of a whistling kettle. Lincoln knew he couldn't deal with something like this.

He had to go.

Lincoln turned around and started running through the foggy shower room, barely able to stay on his feet with the slippery ground, the sound of a Lynn and Luna's booming laughter overlapping one another and clipping with echos. Lincoln didn't look back, he didn't care what was back there. He kept his sights ahead of him into the white nothingness, fearing that the creature was not too far behind them. As he ran, his heartbeat grew louder and louder, serving itself like a bass for the laughter. He started to pant and lose momentum, feeling like he had been running away for ages. The sounds of laughter of the boys from the academy started to sound off along with the sounds of the laughter and heartbeat, only to have the unfitting snare sounds of his feet hitting the wet floor as he ran.

Within this tunnel vision, a figure appeared. The figure was blurry, but the shape. The size. The height. It was Lily. Lincoln thought it was it. He smiled and picked up speed. However, the smile is quickly dashed when he got close. The child didn't seem to have any clothing and had her back turned to him.. Lincoln was turning pale as the sounds behind him grew louder. As he got close, everything around him slowed down. The noises were still at its normal speed. The sounds of his feet hitting the floor played out of sync, sounding off like impact was made even while in mid-stride. Lincoln was almost in suspended animation. As he got near her, Lily slowly turned herself to him

Lincoln paniced.

Lily turned to him to show him a sweet smile and her crimson pupils that were staring dead at him. She spreaded her arms as Lincoln made a full stop.

"Viens à moi, cher frère…" the red eyed Lily said with a reverberated voice. "C'est bon ... nous sommes tous malades ici ... nous sommes tous malades …"

Lincoln slowly turned his head but started and stalled in his movement like a buffering computer page, moving spec by spec. He kept stopping and going for what seemed like eons, alone to be face to face with Luna, but not the Luna he knew. Black inky liquid poured from the side of her eyes like tears. The sight caused Lincoln to scream.

Blackness.

 **BANG!**

* * *

Lincoln quickly opened his eyes. He looked at Lily. She was normal but was staring at him with her hands over her mouth, totally in shock. Lincoln didn't understand until he noticed his stance seemed off. He looked at his hand to find the gun. He looked to Lynn who was sprawled out on the bed, bleeding. Lincoln calmed down all together. Lynn started to lift her body from the bed, wincing in pain. Lincoln wasn't going to wait. He walked to the bed, hearing Lily's faint gasp as he did so. He approaches the bed, gun in his hand, looking down at his struggling sister. Lynn lifted herself enough to show she was hit in the shoulder. Lincoln could tell that she was in pain and losing a lot of blood, but also knew she wasn't hit in an area that would kill her unless she lost too much blood. Lincoln wasted no time.

He lifted his gun and with a clean swipe pistol whiped Lynn off the bed and onto the ground, knocking her out in the process.

Lily screamed once the gun made impact with Lynn's head.

Lincoln walked to Lily.

"We need to go…" Lincoln said.

Lily wasn't going to argue anymore. She nodded and the two walked to the window and heared a familiar sound that made both of them pause.

 _''Là-bas renaît lentement l'arc-en-ciel._

 _Pareil à notre amour ardent et presque irréel_

 _vers lui je voudrais partir avec vous_

 _car tout y parait plus charmant plus clair et plus doux. "_

The two of them slowly turned their heads to the barricaded door. As the song played, behind it were thunderous knocks on the door, coming from many different hands. Lincoln wasn't risking it. He put Lily on his back and threw out their bags. He hopped out and landed on the trampoline and let Lily off. From there they made a mad dash for Lori's car. Lily tried to open it, but it was locked. Lincoln took his gun and hammered its handle against the glass, making it cave in and causing Lily to flinch. He wiped the glass from out the seat so he could sit and try to get the car hotwired. Lily listened to the loud music and slamming from inside the house and became frightened to hear them coming downstairs to flood the yard for an attack. She looked at Lincoln from the outside of the passenger window. Lincoln stuck his tongue out, trying to keep calm as he messed with the wires until it worked. The car started up, and Lincoln unlocked the door for Lily. She quickly hopped in and Lincoln backed out of the driveway into the street and parked. He hopped out and walked to Luna's car. He took aim and shooted out all four of her tires and got back in the car and drove off to the canal.

As he was driving, he hands the gun to Lily. "Load it up. Bullets are in the bag."

Lily opened one of the bags to find a box of ammo and started to load it.

Lily looked at Lincoln. "Are you okay..?' she asked worried.

"Yeah...why?"

"You were screaming…" she said. "When you were having your….episode. You were screaming."

"I'm fine" Lincoln said, not looking away from the road.

"Look at me" said Lily.

"I'm driving" Lincoln answered coldly.

"I just want to be sure…" Lily said as she finished loading the gun.

Lincoln sighed. "Just trust me… ok. You'll learn this is the right choice."

"But-" Lily started.

"No buts…" Lincoln said. "Now put on your seat belt."

Lily sighed and did what she was told without any more questions.

* * *

The two drove for a bit until they made it a few blocks from the canal and stopped at a red light. Lincoln lit up a cigarette and exhaled. Lily was in the seat. Barely able to keep her eyes open. Lincoln looked around to see if anyone was around. No one. Not even a late night beat cop. He sighed and looked at Lily. The girl was resting her eyes after such harsh events. Lincoln understood her confusion. Her worry. Her fear. He felt it all as well. He rested his hand on the wheel with the cigarette hanging off his lip, clouding the car. He thought back to what both Lisa and Lynn said. They told him all that time ago to run away and save himself. Why would they change their mind now? Why are they going so far to keep him here? Why the drugging? Why the cult stuff? Why any of it?

Lincoln settled his eyes on the light. It was still red. Lincoln found it odd and stared at it. Just then, the light flickered. Lincoln looked at Lily quickly. There was a dot… a red dot. A beam scope was out there.

"Lily!" Lincoln shouted before hoping in front of her body.

The windshield shattered and Lincoln yelled in pain, causing Lily to wake up screaming in fear. A dart was sticking on of Lincoln's back. Lily quickly grabbed it and pulled it out, causing him to scream. Lincoln quickly moved back into the driver seat and slammed the gas, speeding down the street.

Lincoln was pressing his back against the seat, trying to find a way to dull the pain for a second as he made ugly and reckless turns with the car. Lily was crying as Lincoln groaned from the pain.

"Lincy!" Lily cried out. "I'm sorry! I'm very sorry! Please don't be mad!"

Lincoln put the cig in his mouth and lit it. "Lily, it's okay! Don't be upset, it's not ya fault"

As he said this, Lincoln pain began numbing. In fact, his body was numbing.

"Oh no…" he said.

"W-What's wrong?" asked Lily.

"Hold on…" Lincoln said.

A few minutes passed and they end up new so wooded area along the canal. Lincoln hops out and Lily follows him. He walks almost drunkenly over to the other side of the car and pulled out the bags and handed Lily the gun.

"Takes this stuff and run to the canal" Lincoln said.

"What?!" Lily shouted.

"Ronnie Anne is waiting there and she'll look out for you" Lincoln said.

"What about you?!" Lily said, tears pouring down her face.

"I got hit with some kind of drug tipped needle or tranquilizer or something" Lincoln said. "I won't be any good to you guys like this. I got to buy you so time."

"Please!" Lily said hugging Lincoln. "I'm scared, don't leave me!"

Lincoln hugged Lily closely and sighed. "We'll meet up again. I promise. Now run! We don't have a lot of time!"

Lily with a sniffle picked up the bags and the gun and stared at Lincoln with heavy eyes. Lincoln leaned in, then kissed her on the forehead and pointed down the street. Lily took the stuff and ran, crying loudly as she dashed off. Lincoln stood idle and watched to assure that she maked it at least halfway down the street before turning back to the woods, the numbing agent taking effect.

Ronnie Anne sat alone on a dingy plastic milk crate with a cigarette hanging on her lip, staring at her phone. The gentle sounds of water passing through the canal slowly got drown out by the little roar of thunder overhead. Ronnie Anne looked up and sighed, not feeling like dealing with rain at the moment. However, her mind was thrown for a loop when the sounds of a screaming child was heard. Ronnie Anne looked to the left of her to the bridge to see a terrified Lily running across. Ronnie Anne hopped up and went through a hole in the fence to meet with Lily at the end.

"Ronnie!" Lily screamed as she nearly fell into her arms.

"Lily?" Ronnie Anne said. "What's happening? Where's Lincoln?"

Lily handed Ronnie Anne the gun as was she crying and panting. Ronnie Anne felt a chill down her spine.

"T-They were chasing us! A-And Lincoln shot Lynn and-" Lily started.

"What?! Lynn is dead?!" Ronnie Anne shouted in surprise.

"No! I-I mean, I don't know!" Lilly say, gasping for air. "Doesn't matter! Lincy told me to run to you while he tries to get them away! Please! I'm so scared and-"

Ronnie Anne held her close.

"Don't worry…" Said Ronnie Anne stroking her hair. "We're in this together, okay?" Lily noded. Ronnie Anne picked up Lily's bags and the two dashed off into the allies of the night, plotting their next move.

* * *

Meanwhile, back over the bridge, a black old timey car pulled up next to Lori's abandoned car outside the wooded area. Three women slithered from the car.

"The old man's car was never that fast…" Luna said.

"Please, be kind to him. God rest his soul…" Luan said standing next to Luna.

The driver seat opened and Lori stepped out and stared at the woods. She took a short calm breath.

"They splitted up…" She said as she walked to the back of the old timey car. "You two look for Lily across the bridge. She'll most likely be with Ronnie Anne.

"Yes, dear sister" Luan said obediently.

"And what do you plan to do?" Luna asked.

From the trunk, Lori pulled out a tranquilizer rifle and a satchel, most likely full of darts.

"He's drugged and will get hurt out there. Lisa say to bring them back alive. So, I have to retrieve him…"

Lori started walking into the woods and the other two stayed until she was out of view. Luna hoped in the driver's seat while Luan got in the passenger seat. The car started and they began the cross the bridge in hopes of capturing the two runaways. They must if they plan to reach the final phase of the plan.

 _"The Son has all claims over our flesh vessels. We are his wine, only poured for Him and Him alone to enjoy."_


	20. The Sickness

The sounds of Lincoln's labored panting grew heavier as the boy aimlessly staggered deeper into the woods under the starless sky above. With sweat nearly pouring from his face and soaking into the collar of his shirt, which lightly dampened the brim of his hoodie. Lincoln knew whatever was in his system was starting to seriously hinder his ability to walk, but felt this strange burst of energy to push forward and not succumb to the alien substance. Lincoln kept darting forward almost like he was in a trance, not knowing where to even go as he made it to a clearing. The boy kept staggering, picking up speed as he kicked up damp, dead leaves and deep skids in the dirt before falling over. The boy hit the ground on his side hard, letting out a muffled grunt of pain. Lincoln stared at the ground, breathing heavily. He moved his head around to see what was around him. Nothing but barely visible trees and large rocks that erected from the soil. The boy slowly mustered up the strength to get off the ground. As he got back on his feet, he notice just how heavy his body felt after being hit with the drugged dart. The boy searched around more to see if there were signs of anyone being after him. Nothing. Not a sound that sounded off from the typical sounds of bugs chirping and owls hooting in the dark. Lincoln sighed and smacked his face a few times, trying to psyche himself up before he tried to push forward on his run. He looked straight ahead to where he was running.

He wasn't even completely sure he had a plan after sending Lily out to meet with Ronnie Anne. Wasn't sure if she was okay. Marching on and stewing on the idea that something bad could have happened in his absence. He slowly dug into his pocket to pull out his phone. He unlocked it and checked the signal. No bars. He paced about in the efforts to try yo better his odds. Still no signal. Lincoln started to grow panicked. He kept dragging around the decaying leaves for a moment to see if his luck would change but to no avail.

"No one is going to help you out here, my dear brother…" a voice said from behind.

Lincoln froze.

He turned his head toward where he came and began to tremble.

Standing there was Lynn.

Lincoln stared at her, lost for words. The girl that stood before her was Lynn, but certain elements about her weren't right. She looked fine, looked like she did before being shot. There was no wound and no blood. That and her eyes, her unsettling crimson eyes that flashed at him. Lincoln was sure this wasn't really Lynn, but couldn't decide on what was the cause. Was it an episode? Was it the drugs? Nevertheless, the sigh of her alone was enough to faze him. Lincoln began to back away before a subtle smirk appeared on this Lynn's face.

"Lincoln…" the Vision Lynn asked, tilting her head slowly. "Why are you leaving, dear brother?"

"Y-You're...n-not real. You're not real-you can't be…" Lincoln said softly.

"I'm here, aren't I?" asked the Vision Lynn in a coy manner.

Lincoln just shook his head. "But...no...that makes no sense… Y-You're just in my brain…"

"I'm not in your mind, dear brother…" Vision Lynn said before her face turned mildly sour. "But I wish I was in your heart…"

Lincoln stared at the spectre. Things grew silent. Lincoln, oddly enough, locked eyes with the vision and...smiled. He smiled and gave a light chuckle. A chuckle that grew into a laugh and a laugh that grew to hysterical cackling, bordering on the maniacal. She shutted his eyes and laughed near uncontrollably as he held himself; body feeling pain from each aching cackle. His eyes may had been shut but tears formed around the folds.

"I shot you!" he said through his laughter. "I-I shot you! You're not here! You can't be, I left you limp! Slumped over!"

Lincoln stood up straight, eyes still sealed.

"I shot you and left you for dead...y-you're just a just a vision in my head. You expect me to believe you were just able to walk away? F-From something like that? Without any issues moving around? T-Talking to me? I think not...you're not real. At all."

Lincoln cleared his throat and resumed, still unwilling to look at this thing that looked like Lynn.

"Even so, here you are, taunting me like you have something worth saying after that. After what you did, everything you did. You think this will change anything? You are sick. You need help. You have problems I can't save you from...it's not my problem. I didn't do this to you, you let yourself turn into this. I can't, no. I WON'T be held responsible for what you and what the rest of them turned into. Do you understand? Do you?! Leave me and my sister alone! Get out of my head! You're not real! You're not real! You told me to leave it be long ago so I am! So, you can take that unwanted smug attitude of yours and fuck off! "

Lincoln sighed and opened his eyes. She was no longer there.

Lincoln shook his head and chuckled.

"I knew it…" he said to himself reassuringly. "No way in hell she was there…"

Lincoln turned around to resume walking only to be eye to eye with a ruby red light, nearly blinding him. He leaped back with a loud scream and hit the ground, slamming his head against it, letting out a wet thud. Lincoln stared to the sky to see his vision failing him as it started to become blurred. Within the sounds of woodland creatures and dead air were the sounds footsteps. Lincoln's field of vision showcased a familiar sight. The red eyed Lynn. Lincoln tried to speak but the words didn't come out as the girl smiled at him. He slowly moved his hand to the back of his head and lightly rubbed it. He brought his hand back to see it was covered in blood-inky in texture but illuminated like it was pink. The world rather than a harsh black turned blue. Vision Lynn's skin even changed to a ghostly blue shade as Lincoln lay there bleeding.

"You can't scare me away like that, brother…" Lynn started to say in an echoey tone. "You are just as broken and sick as I am, remember? You have to accept you're not well…"

"No...No..noo.." Lincoln mumbled to himself, barely coherent.

"It's okay, brother…" Vision Lynn said as she she got on top of him. "Don't fight it anymore…"

"Lynn…" mumbled a dazed and confused Lincoln. "Stop…"

"Let me free you. Once you let go, you'll see what I see…" Vision Lynn said.

"Stop it….Lynn…" Lincoln begged, struggling to get his words together. "I don't...want you to do this…"

"Oh? Not me, eh?" asked Vision Lynn with a laugh. "You've forgotten, haven't you…?"

She cleared her throat.

"I can be whoever you want me to be!" said Vision Lynn with a spot on mimic of Luna's voice.

Lincoln panicked and swung his arm at her face, knocking her off and limb on the ground. He quickly got back to his feet and looked around the blurry blue landscape before sensing something was off. He turned to see another sight. The red eyed Lily. She stood there, in silence with a timid smile, watching everything unfold.

"Yooou.." Lincoln mumbled as he pointed to her slowly as if his arm weighed a ton.

Lincoln heard a whimpering. He turned around quickly, but the world moved at a snail's pace. He gasped at the sight as the world synced with his movements. In front of him was Vision Lynn, holding herself as pink blood poured from her blue shaded body. Lincoln, dazed but frightened limped to the path he was running to. Vision Lynn looked at him with cold, fading eyes.

"Lincoln…" Vision Lynn started. "I'm sorry...you didn't have to kill me...I didn't want to hurt you...why did you kill me…?"

Lincoln froze.

"You wanted to help me…" Vision Lynn started. "Why did you kill me…?"

"You….y-you...I...I-I dunno...I-I had to…" he mumbled, slurring his words.

"Did...did I make you hate me that much…?" she said.

"Lynn...I love you...I'm...sorry" Lincoln slurred as he choked up.

The red eyed Lynn's expression changed. It was calm. It was peaceful. It was sweet. It was...real. The red shade of her eyes started to fade. She gave a light smile as tears cascaded down her freckled face.

"I love you t-"

 **BANG!**

* * *

Vision Lynn's head flared up with a flood of pink blood as she lay limp with her eyes open, staring at Lincoln. Lincoln screamed bloody terror as he turned his head to the direction of the shot. Lincoln stopped as his insides tightened up clinchingly and his neck felt like there was a noose around it, blocking out any sound. The shooter. The shooter stood before him. The moment of closure snuffed out by this unholy being.

It was him. It was Lincoln.

This Lincoln, this creature, was shaded blue as the others with red pupils. Not Lincoln, but it was Lincoln. The red eyed Lily looked at the real Lincoln and smiled.

"Tout est de ta faute…" she said softly.

Before long, those words echoed through the woods.

"Tout est de ta faute...Tout est de ta faute...Tout est de ta faute...Tout est de ta faute…"

Lincoln shook his head as the world desynced with his movements.

"LINCOLN!" shouted a voice.

Lincoln knew that voice too well.

"Lori…" he said to himself.

Lincoln looked to the Vision Lily to see both her and the vision version of himself staring at him. Unmoving and with no break in their expression.

"LINCOLN!" shouted Lori's voice again.

She sounded closer.

Lincoln wasted no time before quickly limping into the woods as fast as he could, the sounds of his weeping overlapping and echoing as his sight grew dimmer.

"Lincoln!" he heard.

"Tout est de ta faute…" followed.

Lincoln closed his eyes tightly.

"LINCOLN!"

"Tout est de ta faute..."

"WHERE ARE YOU, DEAR BROTHER?"

"Tout est de ta faute…"

"I'LL FIND YOU SOON ENOUGH!"

"Tout est de ta faute…"

Nothing.

Lincoln had become lighter than air. Before long, he felt a strong pain. He opened his eyes to see he had fallen from what seemed like a steep slope. As the sights grow dimmer again, Lincoln saw something coming towards him. A set of red eyes. Lincoln was hurt. He was drugged. He may be having an episode. Regardless, Lincoln had lost the will to move forward. He knew that would be in vain, a pointless effort to escape the hell he could no longer avoid. With a final sniff as the eyes drew near, she shut his eyes and blacked out, allowing whatever was going to happen to him happen, accepting his fate without a fight.

* * *

"Why haven't you called yet, Lame-o?" Ronnie Anne paced back and forth phone in hand in an abandoned building, muttering what sounded like harsh words in a different language under her breath. Her and Lily were holding up in a living room of a rundown tenement building in the urban side of town. The living space was full of broken glass, loose bits of plywood, mountains of moldy clusters caked with a fluffy armor of lint, and some grime-soaked mock furniture like crate, boxes, half a couch and a broken bulky TV that looked like it was from the 70s. The condition of the overall building was stated to be something beyond uninhabitable. Ronnie Anne felt it was the best idea to bunker here considering how there were so many buildings too similar to this with plenty places to hide out. Ronnie Anne looked at Lily, who sit idle on the box string remains of a bed, and put her phone away. She pulled out the gun. Lily's eyes widened.

"D-Did they find us?" asked a frighten Lily.

Ronnie inhaled and put on a brave face.

"No, Lily" said Ronnie Anne calmly. "I'm just going to check a few floors to make sure everything is fine."

"You sure we're okay…?" asked Lily.

Ronnie Anne walked over to Lily and calmly placed her hand on Lily's head.

"I promise, everything is okay…" Ronnie Anne assured her, keeping a fake smile.

"Ronnie...you're shaking…" Lily said softly.

Ronnie Anne stopped to notice that Lily was right. The girl was quaking with what she could clearly see was fear. She sighed and stuffed her shaking hand back into her pocket.

"J-Just hide in the closet" Ronnie Anne said while looking away. "Don't come out 'til I come to get you…"

Lily, though unsure about the situation and her overall confidence in Ronnie Anne, walked into the closet and slowly shut it. Ronnie Anne walked out of the room, gun in hand, and into the hallways to patrol.

Ronnie Anne knew she was scared. A few hours have passed since she was left with Lily. Feeling like danger is creeping over every corner and feeling the pressure of not knowing rather or not Lincoln was okay filled her with a deep sense of dread. Ronnie walked through the hallways, full of boarded up doors that lead to different rooms. The halls were dressed with damp mold, flakey asbestos and the thick stench of what smelled like spoiled deli meat, most likely from an abandoned fridge from one of the rooms. She didn't mind. However, she was so stuck on her own fears. Lincoln, without saying a word, entrusted her with the well being of his baby sister. She loved Lincoln very much. That never left her, not even after the madness she witnessed with Lynn and his other sisters. However, something felt off.

Lucy.

As Ronnie Anne aimlessly walked the floor, she couldn't help but feel the real emotions she had for Lucy. Though she adored Lincoln and saw something of a real future with him, but during his time at the academy, Lucy was the closest thing to Lincoln she had at the time. However. Her feelings began to build. It was something she couldn't deny and as she aimlessly walked around, she began to think of the endgame. If what Lincoln said was true, this situation will not end well. Lincoln could turn into them. Lincoln could die, rather by their hands or he'll end himself. She stopped walking to think and then sighed. She couldn't bear such thoughts. To imagine Lincoln dying. Lucy being stuck there. The thought of Lily being alone. Just the notions threatened to break her.

She had to get out of here. She had to get them out too. She thought with the four of them together, they could make it out.

Suddenly, a voice. A raspy one.

"Luna?" thought Ronnie Anne to herself.

She kept guard as she walked to the end of the hall and stoped. She peeked over the corner to listen out. Her voice was right down the hall. She slowly and quietly hugged along the wall and made her way down, hoping to catch her off guard. Ronnie Anne knew there wasn't a chance she could reason with her, or any of them for that matter. In her mind, there was only a way to protect the few she cared for, there was no other choice. She had to shoot to kill.

As she scurried to the edge, Ronnie Anne drew in some quiet breaths and with fear in her heart, she leaped from the other side and took aim.

Nothing.

"The hell..?" she said softly to herself.

The hall was decayed, but empty. She walked further to see one of the windows was open. She stopped and stared.

"Did...did she leap out the window?" she asked to herself. "Wait…"

She stared at the window to notice something. The window was only open half way. Even if Luna was fairly slim, the window would have to be open all the way for a body to slip out.

"A diversion…" Ronnie Anne said softly.

She heard a light creak from the rotted floorboards behind her.

Ronnie Anne quickly turned to only be stopped before she could turn to aim her gun. She looked into Luna's eyes, who must have looped around the hall to catch her. Ronnie Anne kneed Luna in the stomach and fell to the floor as she tried to take aim only to have a fast thinking Luna kick the gun from her hand and to the wall. Luna quickly got back on her feet and back handed Ronnie Anne upside the head and tried to dive for the gun. However, Ronnie Anne was able to grab hold of Luna's leg, steadily pulling her away and hopped on top of her. The Latina was able to land two decent non-finishing punches on Luna's face, but Luna regained control and grabbed both of Ronnie's arms and head butted her, knocking her off. Luna made the crawl for the gun, took it and aimed at Ronnie Anne.

Ronnie regained her composure, not even too shaken about a gun being pointed at her.

The both sat there panting.

"Ronnie…" said a tired Luna. "Tell me where they are…"

Ronnie Anne laughed. "You're cute... Thinking I'd switch up, just like that…"

"If rumors are true, that's how ya got out of juvi…" Luna said coldly.

Ronnie Anne grew silent.

"I don't have time for this, tell me where they are or else…" Luna said as she cocked the gun.

Ronnie Anne sighed. "...I don't know."

"Don't you bullshit me, Santingo…" Luna raged as she got to her feet.

"I'm serious…" Ronnie Anne bluffed. "Lincoln went on his own and I lost the kid an hour ago. But she's smart, knowing her, she and Lincoln are already gone."

"You're lying" Luna said.

"What would I have to gain from lying?" Ronnie Anne said smugly.

"RONNIE!"

That voice from afar. Lily.

Luna looked to Ronnie Anne, who began to shake.

"Y-Yes?" Ronnie Anne cried out.

"Is everything okay?" asked the Lily.

Ronnie Anne looked at the upset Luna, who pointed the gun dead center to her forehead.

"Everything…" Ronnie Anne said before sighing heavily. "Everything is fine. Just go back and hide, okay?"

"O-Okay…" cried Lily before a door shutted.

Luna just stared at Ronnie Anne.

"If you shoot me, she'll run. She'll find Lincoln and escape" Ronnie Anne stated. "You can do what you want, but I'll die before I let you hurt them anymore than you have. I don't know what your sisters are planning, but-"

"I have my own plans" Lunna said.

Ronnie Anne was taken aback.

"What's that ya say?" Ronnie Anne asked, clearly dumbfounded.

"I said...I have my own plans. I don't care what my sisters want…"

Ronnie Anne wasn't sure what she meant in the slightest. "W-What do you mean?"

"I've learned something important about the treatment. It is getting weaker and weaker everyday…" she started, no letting the gun's aim away from the assigned target. "I'm in a mindset where I can make my own choices. And I know what I have to do…"

"Which is..?" asked Ronnie Anne.

"I'm taking Lincoln and Lily and I'm running…" Luna said.

"W-What?" Ronnie Anne replied.

"You don't know what it's like snapping back into reality and hearing the things they say. The things they done. The things I've done while under this possession. I won't let them hurt Lincoln…" Luna asserted.

"Because you love him…" Ronnie Anne replied.

Luna got quiet and only shook her head. "That's why I HAVE to do this. If I stay off the treatment before the sickness kicks in, I can get them out of town, start over."

Ronnie Anne rested her eyes on Luna. "Sickness..?"

Luna sighed and rubbed her head with her free hand.

"It's like...Lisa made this...stuff. The treatment. This stuff is supposed to make us even out. In one way, when you're under the treatment, your mind sorta walls itself into two people, I guess" Luna stated. "One person is the person you are, the real you. The other is something else...you don't share memories with this other you. I know it sounds sci-fi as hell, but it's the truth…"

"What...what the hell is she putting into your bodies?!" Ronnie Anne asked, clearly uneasy.

"I don't know. I just know you can't go on for long without it"

"Why?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Luna sighed again. "Because it's a drug, a very addictive one, if that. The stuff she made starting off were sugar pills compared to what it is now. Every few months, we're injected with a stronger batch, each time we'd been under the effects longer and longer. What would last 12 hours now lasted days. Weeks if she tricked you into upping your dosage. Once it was in us, even if we came up and found out all the wrong we've done, she knew...we'd give in and ask for more…"

"Why do that to yourselves?" asked Ronnie Anne, at a lost for anything deeper to say.

"With the sickness, you can't sleep. Your nightmares become so vivid, you could have a panic attack or a seizure in your sleep. I would know. It happened to both me and Lana…" Luna said.

"Oh...fuck…" Ronnie Anne said horrified.

"Your shaking would be uncontrollable. Which will be hell when your muscles aches. It feels like vice grips and piano wire tightening and tearing into your flesh. You'll sweat endlessly while having the worst case of chills. You'll be freezing, burning, shaking and screaming in pain the whole time…" Luna resumed. "The nausea will also eat you up. All you want to do is vomit and scream. Then the depression stage comes in…"

"Is...is this really what happens after you are off your treatment…? Asked Ronnie Anne.

"See why I need to escape..?" Luna says. "I need an ACTUAL doctor."

"Look…" Ronnie Anne pointed out. "I can help you."

"Why should I trust you?" Luna snapped.

"You really want Lincoln to take his chances out there with the sister who's are actually under the treatment?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Luna looked down and groaned, knowing she had a point. "So...alliance?"

"Not yet…" said Ronnie Anne as she got off the ground.

"What now?" groaned Luna.

"I want your word you won't mention us to whoever you're with" Ronnie Anne demanded.

"Done" Luna agreed quickly.

"And" started Ronnie Anne. "I want to know what's happening with Lucy… Is she okay?"

"She's…" started Luna. "...fine."

"That doesn't sounds like an honest answer.." said Ronnie Anne.

"Look, it's the truth. I have to go, so you have to accept it, team up with me and let it go until a plan is in order" Luna said annoyed. "Get me?"

Ronnie Anne sighs. Luna, without much time, accepted that as the closest thing to a 'yes' she was going to get. She handed Ronnie Anne the gun and made her way down the hall, leaving Ronnie Anne to walk the other way towards the room she left Lily at. Rather unsure if Luna was honest about Lucy, something about her tone and he story seemed to settled well with Ronnie. Nothing seemed to come out as a lie. Regardless, Ronnie Anne wasn't going to allow her guard to drop after this. Until she was able to contact Lincoln, there was no chance she would openly accept this rush agreement.

* * *

"Lincoln….Lincoln….Lincoln?"

Lincoln's eyes opened. He gasped lightly and hopped up. Still dazed and under the influence of the drugs in his system. He held his head, letting out a groan of pain. Lincoln stopped to see he was in a cave deep in the woods, with the calming light of the moon shining enough to illuminate the space a bit. The light seemed like a harsh yellow will the setting still looked blue as it did before.

"You're still recovering, little bro" said a raspy voice.

"L-Luna…?" asked Lincoln softly.

Walking from the back of the cave with two ruby red dots. They reached the brim of the light to show a blue toned Luna. Lincoln shook his head, realizing that he was still having in a vision.

"Please...no…" Lincoln said.

Vision Luna reached out, grabbing Lincoln and pulled him close.

"Please! No! Don't-" Lincoln begged.

Vision Luna nearly cradled him in her arms and held him tightly.

Lincoln stopped talking. He was speechless. Nothing was happening.

"Wha..?" blurted Lincoln.

"I was very worried. I thought I wouldn't be able to help you" Vision Luna said.

Lincoln looked up to the being shaped like Luna, lost and confused. This being's nature wasn't one of malice. It was something he was yet to see in his visions.

"I know you're worried about Lori…" Vision Luna started. "Don't worry-we'll be safe here."

"O-Okay…" Lincoln said calmly.

"Want to go to bed?" Vision Luna asked.

"Uh, t-together?" asked a very lost Lincoln.

"Of course! Why not?" said Vision Luna.

Lincoln got to his feet as the Vision Luna took Lincoln into the darkness of the cave. A single candle is lit by a single cover. Luna pointed to the spread and Lincoln complied to lie there without protest. Luan rested behind him and held him close to her. Lincoln's face began to flush, turning a light red.

"Is this okay?" Vision Luan asked softly.

"Uh, yeah…" answered Lincoln sheepishly.

"I love you, Lincoln" Vision Luna said before kissing Lincoln's ear.

"I...I love you too, Luna…" Lincoln answered.

"Lincoln?" Vision Luna asked.

"Yeah?" answered Lincoln as his eyes closed.

"Don't give in to your sickness. Don't fall victim like me. You're the bridge that brings us together….wake up...and bring us together…" Vision Luna said in a whisper.

Lincoln's eyes opened wide. There was light in the cave. He got up quickly and paused. Nothing, everything started to feel right in his body. He turned to the area he slept. No cover. No candle. No Luna. Lincoln wasn't too sure what to make of that experience, but for some reason, the thought gave him warmth. He smiled and shook his head.

"No, Lincoln…" Lincoln said to himself. "You heard her, you're better than that."

Lincoln tapped his head, feeling cloth around it. It took him a while to notice he cut the sleeves of his hoodie to make the misshapen bandage to stop the bleeding. This caused Lincoln to think. Was he so far gone, did he imagine getting healed by Luna even after doing it himself but didn't remember it? It was a tad confusing, but it didn't matter too much to him. He walked to the edge of the cave and lit a cigarette then took a long, leisurely drag and exhaled.

He was aware he was slowly losing his mind. There was no way around that. However, he felt there was still time. Time to save them. History doesn't have to repeat itself. He felt like that was a fact. However, he had a different idea on how to save them.

Lincoln looked at a thick branch laying on the ground and smiled.

"Force" Lincoln said to himself.

 _"He does have a mate in mind. But only He shall know this mate. For you are the ones who service Him, in return, He will service one of you. Accept His choice or die a slow death by His disappointment."_


	21. Book of Lori

"Yes, dear sister…"

"No...he's been in hiding…"

"I-I know time is crucial, but…"

"This is a thick woodland, L-"

"No...no, you're right...I'll...try to be quicker…"

"Bye, L-I mean...dear sister…"

Lori ended her call and put her cellphone in her pants pocket. She sighed at she looked at the bright sun that shined above her as she rested upon a large tree. Lori was tired, having tried and failed in tracking Lincoln all through the night only to lose him. She was already surprised the drug tipped dart wasn't enough to stop him. Not to mention, the fact the drug was infused with a beta strain of RAFI P-1 from the earlier stages. This indeed made her wonder how this would affect Lincoln given his mental state.

Lori thought about that for a moment.

Seeing Lincoln as the key to everyone's happiness was nothing new to her by any means, however, after seeing what was recovered from the mission Lisa set up about a month ago, the others were more concerned with the finalization of the plans including him. Even with concerns, Lisa had her way one shot at a time.

Lori hopped off the rock and landed softly on the damp grass below. She picked up her bag and her tranq rifle and sighed. She started to walk down a path as she darts her eyes around, hoping to find some kind of sign that Lincoln may be near. Nothing seemed to stick out. No disturbance in the grass, no snapped branches, nothing. As Lori started searching around and noticed what looked to be a path less traveled. She checked down the path she was walking and back to the trail that lead further into the woods pass the brush. Lori slowly started to walk towards the trail that lead off the main path. She walked into the woods for what seemed like a few steps before stopping.

The warm glow of the sun ceased. The air had gotten cold.

Lori turned her back to see she was surrounded by the dense woods and looked up to see that the mangled branches of the blacken tree merged with one another, eating the sky entirely and leaving her in the dark. Lori started to breathe heavily, gripping her chest as if her heart was stabbing along her ribcage to escape what was happening. Lori slowly and carefully began to move forward again, lost at what had happened in that moment. The harsh cold air, settled around her, causing her to held on to her body. She marched on, holding on to her rifle in her chapped hands.

As she moved forward, something else seemed to be missing. Noise.

The area was completely silent.

"My...my..my…" said a familiar voice.

"Oh, no…" Lori said to herself softly.

Lori turned to her left to see..herself.

* * *

"Hello, sweetie!" said Mirror Lori. "It has been too long! How are you?"

Lori looked ahead and kept walking, not giving a response. Mirror Lori walked beside her.

"Lori, honey. Why are you being so...cold?" giggled Mirror Lori.

Lori just groaned.

"I mean, no need to give me the...cold shoulder…" riffed Mirror Lori.

"Please…" Lori said softly.

"Bet you wish you could…ice me right now, huh?" laughed Mirror Lori.

"Oh, god!" barked and annoyed Lori.

"Am I on thin ice?" asked Mirror Lori with a sneer. "God, where's Luan when ya need her?"

"Why are you bothering me..?" asked Lori.

"Isn't obvious?" asked Mirror Lori. "Seems like that little treatment you have is failing again."

"Once this is over…" Lori started. "I'll get treated again...then you'll go away-"

"For a while, yes" Mirror Lori interjected. "But I'll come back and you'll be right at square one. Nothing will change."

Lori scoffed.

The two walked forward in silence for a while, the air getting colder and the path seeming darker. However, during this time, Lori kept looking toward her doppelganger, feeling like speaking to her. Not to befriend her by any means, but because she felt the silence of the area was messing with her, so she needed something to keep her head clear.

"So…" Lori started. Who are you?" asked Lori.

"I'm you" said Mirror Lori.

"No, I mean really. Who..or what..are you?" Lori asked.

Mirror Lori sighed and her face got serious. For some reason, Lori felt that was a mistake.

"Tell me, Lori…" asked Mirror Lori. "How come you don't know the answer?"

"Wait, what?" Lori queried.

"Seriously…" Mirror Lori said with a scoff. "When did we first meet?"

"It wasn't much of a meeting, you just appeared in my car one day…" Lori said.

"Don't you remember what ya did that lead me to appearing into your car?" asked Mirror Lori.

Lori thought about it. She rememberd the day perfectly. It was the day she knew, the day she could no longer deny her sickness. She remembered talking to Bobby on the phone that day. She was scheduled to be at work that day but blew it off just to try to patch things up with Bobby after...the incident. However, the call didn't go as planned and he hung out. After that, she...just appeared in the vanity mirror. She taunted and berated her, poking fun at her misery. An abusive relationship that has plagued her for three years.

But at that point, it was clear.

Lori stopped walking.

"The incident…" Lori started. "The break up with Bobby...what I did to Leni...what I did to Lincoln...you're...my guilt."

Mirror Lori smiles.

"Three years…" Mirror Lori chuckled. "Took you three years to figure out the obvious. You are slow, Lori Loud."

Lori stared at Mirror Lori. Mirror Lori gave her a concerned look.

"Lori...think about that night...what you did…" Mirror Lori said.

"No, I don't want to. I was on treatment-" Lori started.

"You know that's a lie" Mirror Lori said, lightly choked up. "You're in denial."

"I didn't mean to…" Lori said softly.

"They didn't deserve that…" Mirror Lori says.

"I wasn't in control" Lori stated.

"All that blood...all the screaming…" Mirror Lori said, seemingly getting angry at the thought.

"I was just angry…" Lori said.

Mirror Lori got into Loris face. Lori lightly gasped before her reflection griped her arm.

"You're stupid…" Mirror Lori growled through her teeth. "You're stupid and I hate it. You keep shifting blame. Everything that happened that is actively your fault, you always have an excuse to deflect everything. You can't shift the blame on that night. Not on Lisa. Not on treatments. Not your anger. Lives were taken because of your actions. And because of that, Lisa made a plan that cost even more lives because of you!"

Lori backed away.

"Nooo!" Lori shouted, tears falling. "I'm better now!"

"That's bullshit and you know it!

The two shouted at one another for what seemed a while. The world grew dark. So dark, the trees that surrounded them ceased to exist. The cold air seemed to had stalled. One could say time was no longer passing at this point. A heated inner demon verbally dueling with her real life counterpart. A battle that no one else can understand.

"When are you going to understand that the only way you can feel better is when you accept that you caused your own problems?! When are you going to get it?! You don't need Lisa! You don't need this stupid religion! You need to wise up and be an adult!" Mirror Lori shouted. "Because we both know, because of this completely stupid plan your so called genius little sister crafted, you are the last adult standing!"

Lori looked away and covered her face.

"Rehab in Arizona or whatever? How long you thought Lincoln was going to buy that? You think that flood in the basement was just by chance? You guys failed at lying so hard because the treatment doesn't work" Mirror Lori said.

"It helped me!" Lori barked.

"It's bullshit!" Mirror Lori barked. "It's a crapshoot every injestion! It may work for three days or a week. It may be up to four days. You were forced to nearly choke Lola because of a batch that lasted for a month and a half but could work for only two fucking hours at a time!"

"Why are you here?!" Lori roared.

"Don't you get it?! I'm here because your guilt, your sins are causing you to keep me alive and tell you your failings so you can save yourself!" Mirror Lori snapped.

"All you do is bully and shit talk me!" Lori said.

"It's the only way to get you to listen!" Mirror Lori snapped.

"What do you want from me?!" Lori pleaded.

"I just!..." Mirror Lori started. "I...just want you to be happy…"

Lori looked at Mirror Lori, speechless.

"Look at yourself...this isn't you" Mirror Lori said. "You have a romantic love toward your own brother. You should have just accepted it. Get help for it, REAL help. Should have let Leni go back to school. Should have accepted Bobbie leaving you. You should have let Leni and Bobbie have what they had so what...happened never happened. But no, you let your anger, envy and pitiful self steem help cause this whole family to fall apart. You all made it seem like it was Lincoln's leaving that caused it. You all used him as a patsy, a scapegoat...funny considering this weird thing Lisa has done to you all makes you see him as both THE lamb and the...well, other kinda of lamb that...you know. The point is, you're riddled with guilt because of those things. Rather than accept it and forgive yourself, you ignore it or mask it. As long as you do this, no matter what meds you take, I'll be right there. You can't escape yourself, Lori Loud. Truth from within comes out sooner or later. Just...give this up. You're free now. Get Lincoln and Lily and get out of here. Don't keep making the same mistakes…"

Lori just stands still.

She remembered the last time she tried to run away. She managed to make it to Bobbie's house before they got to her. The idea of running away again frightened her for a second, but she thought about it deeper. She was way out in the woods. She could find Lincoln, get Lily and maybe Ronnie Anne and take them away from this. Be something of a family. A complete and total reset. She thought about getting a new job. She thought maybe she could set something like a structure a family of four could follow. Happy family meals. Maybe giving Lincoln and Lily a second chance at a normal and stable life. Being something of a sister to Ronnie Anne. Trust wouldn't come right away but-

It hit her.

All the things she has done. How could she change now? Who would pick her up when she fell? She screamed her brother's name during sex, her attraction for him was too open and was embedded into her design. She shot him with a dart a few hours ago. She has lied, cheated, and worst. She caused so much pain for so many. So much so, she ushered in this hell upon her family that turned them into mere marionettes dancing to the song set by their inquisitor of a sister. She couldn't walk away. She couldn't help anyone. She couldn't even do the bare minimum and help herself.

Lori shook her head.

"I can't...it's far too late for that…" Lori concluded.

Mirror Lori sighed. "I guess it seems I really don't have much of a choice…"

"Guess you're just gonna have to stick around with me for a while…" Lori said, with a dry chuckle.

Mirror Lori just shut her eyes.

"Maybe you should ask your brother…what he thinks about all this..." Mirror Lori suggested dryly.

"Wha..?" Lori said before everything went dark.

Lori opened her eyes quickly and saw the sunny sky. Her vision slightly blurred and her ears were ringing. A throbbing stab of pain pulsed along the side of her head. She slowly turned to look beside her to see a large bloody rock laying idle mere inches from her face. She tried to get to her feet, trying to make sense of just what had happened from turning to see a fearful sight.

Lincoln with the rifle standing in front of her.

* * *

"L-Lincoln, wait-" Lori started.

Lincoln quickly smacked Lori on the side of the head with the butt of the gun, sending Lori to to lay out cold on the grass. Lincoln quickly made his way to a nearby tree. Gripping the barrel of the rifle and holding it in a batter's stance, he took a hard swing with all his strength at the tree, snapping the rifle in two. He swung the barrel piece on his hands into the bush and quickly pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Ronnie."

"We have to meet up…"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Is Lily okay?"

"Good."

"We meet at the fourth warehouse over the bridge."

"Yeah."

"Oh, before I hang up...Kinda tracked down Lori while she was having a lengthy argument with herself and beat her till she passed out so...yeah now we got a hostage by accident. Anyway, talk to you later."

He hangs up.

Ronnie Anne just stared at her phone, absolutely taken aback. "Huh… Strange how events turned out…"

Ronnie Anne's eyes bucked when there was a tug on the her sleeve. She looked down to see Lily.

"We're ready, Ronnie!" she said sweetly.

Ronnie Anne patted her head and the two walked to a laundry room in the abandoned building they hid in. They opened the door to see Luna waiting in a corner and a bound and gagged Luan in a chair, bashing the gloss wood frame of it against the washing machine. Ronnie Anne stared at Luan and squated next to her.

"In a strange turn of events, Lincoln went Jon Rambo, attacked and captured Lori" Ronnie Anne said smugly.

Luan's eye's bucked. Luna's mouth dropped. Lily could only gasp.

Ronnie Anne walked to the door and picked up a bat from behind it and looked back at Luan. Luan broke into a cold sweat as she whimpered behind the tape in her mouth.

"So….let's talk about `the good book`…" Ronnie Anne said as she shut the door.

 _"Supple fruit, pure from the vine. Only belonging to thee."_


	22. Test of Faith, Sealing of Fate

Ronnie Anne stands outside the abandoned warehouse with a lit cigarette in her mouth. It was around noon and she was simply stood outside to catch a breath and waited on a possible call from Lincoln. The way the last call ended had her worried. Lincoln has been acting strangely lately, but has always tried to keep a level head about his current situation. However, that call he made to her earlier just didn't set right with her. He was TOO calm. Too casual for admitting to beating his older sister unconscious. It didn't seem right to her. That and she noticed Lily mentioned a lot about Lincoln's medicine. Ronnie Anne wanted to ask about it further, but figured now wouldn't be the best of times.

She started to pace outside the rusted crusted building, puffing on the cigarette and rubbing the back of her neck-stress eating at her like an invisible beast. She was worried about Luan. Not rather she was okay or not; she didn't give a damn about that. But rather or not she'd even be useful. From just the short time of abducting her, all she managed to get from her is that she was a strong believer in this belief system the family set up, that the Bible the family read was true as can be, and that the treatments were actually working. All this to Luna's annoyance. She's most likely in the warehouse, circling the bound Luan like a shark, ready to pull the trigger on her. Ronnie Anne keep walking back and forth, hoping it wouldn't have to come to that. Seeing how the treatment messes with their bodies in certain ways, Luan being under the influence of the treatment was the only way to get anything useful.

Ronnie Anne, sighs and coughs slightly. She pulls out what was left of her scig and sucked her teeth. She was so lost in her own mind, she stopped paying attention and smoked to the tip of the filter. She groans and flicks the dead butt into the street. Realizing that Lincoln my not call and time may be something of a factor, Ronnie Anne couldn't hide from the action anymore. If she was really going to help out, she had to get back inside and grill Luan.

Ronnie Anne walks around the building to the ally. She stops to look around to see if anyone was around. Strangely, even at this time of day, the roads weren't very busy except for a few cars. Ronnie Anne took this as a good this and entered through the side door. She walls throw a dimly lit hallway with other the low lights from the aging soda machines that dressed the walls. The sliding of lead paint chips and sticky linoleum tiles from the early 90s sounded as she was making her way to the main floor of the warehouse. She walks through the floor of the warehouse, surrounded by tires. Racks and racks of tires for various types of cars. From just from her entry point, Ronnie Anne can tell just from the right of her, there were tires for 3 different truck brands, three different cars, two for jeeps, and on the floor, large tires meant for military vehicles. With so much product in this place, she couldn't why the place was abandoned. Ronne Anne shakes the thought away after she reached the middle of the warehouse floor. Luan was in a chair, bound and gagged again. Ronnie Anne allowed the gag to be removed, but Luan must have gotten on Luna's nerves since her smoke break.

* * *

Luna was sitting on a stack of tires-had to be some common pick up truck. She sat there, staring heavily at Luan with venous sights, like an pissed off pit viper. She held a box cutter in her hand tightly, just waiting for her sister to act up and give her a reason to strike. Lily stands a tad further, holding on to the bat Ronnie had in the building a few blocks over. She was very tired and it showed. The poor girl's eyes were heavy. Her posture was shaky. Her hair was a mess and she was barely strong enough to hold on to the bat in the first place.

The moment Ronnie was within sight, Luna turned to her and sighed while Lily ran to her happily, dropping the bat to hug her. Ronnie Anne held the little girl close and patted her on the head, letting her know things were okay. Luna could help but crack a smile at the sight. She's still not on the best of terms with Ronnie Anne, but she's okay knowing her little sister trust her.

Ronnie Anne breaks the hugs and walks to Luna. She looks back to the bound girl before them before turning her head back to her. Luna didn't even have to wonder why Ronnie Anne was giving her such a stiff look.

"She started praying and stuff"Luna started. "She kept repeating it over and over and over again and I just got sick of it."

Ronnie Anne sighed and walked over to Luan. She grips on the gag and takes it out of her mouth. Luan coughed and breathed heavily. Ronnie Anne stared at her with hollow, tired eyes.

"Luan…" Ronnie Anne started. "You gotta tell us something about your plans. Why did you chase after Linc and Lily?"

Luan inhales.

"Que le Fils veille sur moi alors que je protège son troupeau en ne parlant pas…" Luan said.

"Oh, come on…" Ronnie Anne said as she starts to pace. "Don't start that French shit with me…"

"Que le Fils veille sur moi alors que je protège son troupeau en ne parlant pas…" Luan repeated.

"Seriously..?" Luna said as she smacked herself on the forehead, clearly annoyed. "We're doing this captive soldier shit too?"

"Que le Fils veille sur moi alors que je protège son troupeau en ne parlant pas…" Luan said once again.

Ronnie Anne and Luna groaned. Lily just yawned.

Ronnie Anne turns her sights back to Luan.

"What is the treatment?" Ronnie Anne asked coldly.

"Que le Fils veille sur moi-" Luan started.

"What are you planning for Lincoln?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"Q-Que le Fils-" Luan tried again before being interrupted.

"Okay tell me this-what has happened in that house?" Ronnie Anne snapped. "What goes on in there? What's with that locked up garage? What's with the baby in the box in the attic? What is going on in the basement-Luan, for the love of god, if you really care about your brother and sister, answer me!"

Luan grew silent. She looks to the floor and shuts down.

Ronnie Anne pinched her eyebrows and groans. Luna is looking down at the box cutter, weighing rather or not to slash her sister's throat. Lily on the other hand, has reached her limits. She's tired and wants to sleep. But she can't sleep without knowing if her brother is okay. Lily walks next to Ronnie Anne and pulls on her jacket.

"Ronnie?" asked Lily.

Ronnie Anne looks down to Lily. "Y-Yeah, Lily?" she answered.

"Can I...maybe talk to Luan?" Lily asked innocently.

"Absolutely not!" Luna snapped.

Lily turned her head to Luna with a sad look. Luna realized maybe she sounded too angry, so she dialed back and clears her throat.

"I-It's just that...I don't think it's very safe, Lily" Luna says.

Ronnie Anne nods. "I agree" she replied. "I don't know if that's the best-"

"She's all tied up. She can't hurt me if she's all tied up, right?" Lily asked.

Ronnie and Luna looked at one another. They both slowly turned to Luan, who was still looking toward the ground. They traded glances with each other once more before Ronnie Anne looked back down to Lily.

"W-Well, no...she can't..." she finally answered. "But-"

"It'll only be for a little while...I just wanna find Lincy…" Lily said with a yawn.

Ronnie Anne sighed and looked to Luna. Luna shook her head, still not in favor of the idea. Neither is Ronnie Anne, but then again, what else can they do? They had Luan here for a few hours already and managed to get nothing from her but prayers and French. It's obvious that this isn't going anyway. And with Lincoln still not calling back, they need to make sure they get SOMETHING to work with. Ronnie Anne quickly fished out her phone and pulled her Lincoln's number. She quickly drummed up a text to him-the address to their location. She prays hopefully he got it and hoped he'd show up before things got too deep for what she decided to do.

"Fine…" Ronnie Anne said calmly.

"What?!" Luna snapped again. "She can't talk to this freak-"

"What other option do we REALLY have? She won't speak to us. We have to try" Ronnie Anne said.

* * *

Luna closes her mouth and grunts in frustration, finding this to be too risky. She just crosses her legs and clinchs her boxcutter and nodded slowly. Ronnie Anne stepped aside as the tired toddler talks up to Luan. Luan noticed her presents in front of her and lifted her head. Their eyes met. They seemed to stay into each others eyes for a while, not breaking the connection and not speaking a word. The two both took controlled breathes while Luna and Ronnie Anne looked at one another, wondering if this was really going to work. If so, they weren't very convinced.

Lily slowly opens her mouth and managed to fumble out a few words.

"H-Hello, Luan…" Lily said meekly.

"Dammit it...she sounds weak like that…" Luna whispered to Ronnie Anne.

"It's fine" Ronne whispered.

Luna gets quiet, not sure is Ronnie Anne is right or not.

It gets quiet as Luan looks around the room. She slowly opens her mouth.

"Hello, Dear sister…" she says.

Lily sighs.

"I know you don't like being tied up…" Lily said.

"I don't…" Luan answered.

"Well…" Lily starts. "If you promise not to run or do anything bad, you can have your arms free."

"The hell?!" Luna shouts.

"L-Lily, what are you doing?!" Ronnie Anne asked. "That's a terrible-"

"I want to hug her" Lily answered.

"Lily that's not safe-" Ronnie Anne tried to start before Lily butted with this: "It's what LINCY would want."

In that moment, Luan froze. Ronnie Anne and Luna noticed. The watched her. Luan eased her back into the chair, relaxing. She stopped tensing her feet and legs, letting the soles of her shoes rest normally on the floor. She let her body sat up correctly and gaver the control to her restracts. That's when it hit them: even though they are taking orders from someone else, they STILL believe in the book that talks about their brother being a prophet. They'll obey, if that's what Lincoln wants. To Luan, who else knows what Lincoln wants better than Lily, the apple of his eye? Ronnie Anne knew at the point that was Lily's reason to speak with her. She won't run from her.

Ronnie Anne walked up slowly to the chair and reluctantly undid the restraints on Luan's wrist and backed away slowly. Luan slowly puts her arms out forward, palms open to show the other two she had no interest in causing Lily harm. Lily slowly walked to the chair and embraced Luan, wrapping her arms around the chair. Luan slowly wrapped her arms around Lily, holding her tightly.

The hug soon breaks and Lily looks to Luan's hands. The gloves on her hand. Lily held Luan's ram arm and gripped the tips of the gloves finger and slowly tried to pull it off. Luan quickly panics, tenses up and bends of elbow slightly like she was going to yank her whole arm back.

"D-Don't.." she asked.

Lily looked her sister in the eye. A silence swept the room. Luan sighs, as her arm straightens back out, surrendering to the child before her. Lily slowly removes the gloves and stared. A single circle scar on her back hand and palm. Looked like something pierced it all the way through. Ronnie Anne sighed. Luna just stared at her hands, remembering how much pain she was in when she decided to go through that process about a year ago. The feeling still fresh on her mind. She shook her head, trying to get her focus back on Lily and Luan.

"Did it hurt?" Lily asked.

Luan nodded.

Lily backed up a bit.

"Why did you chase us?" Lily asked.

Luan looked away for a second and exhaled. She looked to Lily and took a long breath.

"I was our assignment…" Luan started. "You bring you too back."

"You scared us" Lily said.

"I-I'm sorry...we were just doing what we are told" Luan said somberly.

"Why did you have to take us back?" Lily asked.

"B-Because we had to…" Luan answered plainly.

"Why is my brother so important to you guys?" Lily asked.

Luan paused. Lily was still waiting for an answer. Ronnie Anne and Luna raised an eyebrow.

"Luan..?" Lily asked.

"I-I'm sorry…." Luan said. "I can't tell you that…"

Lily wasn't too happy about that.

"What did you do to the the twins…?" asked Lily coldly.

"W-What?" Luan asked in a confused tone.

"I heard them drop. They didn't take that treatment stuff. You came to my door...you were trying to spy on me...or hurt me-" Lily said.

"I would never hurt you…" Luan said quickly.

"But you hurt them" Lily said.

"I did what had to be done-" Luan said meekly.

"And you made them hurt each other" Lily said as she starts to circle Luan.

"T-That wasn't my judgement..!" Luan said, raising her voice.

"Then who's was it?" asked Lily in a calm deadpan fashion as she keep pacing around her.

"I-I can't say!" Luan said with a crack in her voice.

"Why do you hate the twins?" Lily asked.

"W-What..?" Luan asked, clearly confused.

"Lola and Lana-why do you hate them?" Lily asked again. "Only a person who hates their sisters that much would do what you did…"

"I-I give them their treatment because I love them!" Luan said with a dry mouth and tears forming.

"You're love them…you drug them with something that makes them lose touch with reality over weird periods of time and that how you show your love?" Lily says and she stops pacing right in front of her.

Luan grows quiet.

"What. Is. The. Treatment?" Lily demands.

Luan shook her head.

"I don't know…" Luan answered.

* * *

Lily was about to say something else until a silent rumble is heard. Luan perks up and goes stiff. A rumble. Luan starts to sweat. The sound of a rumble is more defined-like a low motor. Ronnie Anne walks up to Luan.

"What is that?" Ronnie Anne asked.

Luan looks away. Ronnie Anne digs through Luan's restraints and fished out her phone. Ronnie Anne looked to Luan. She opens it.

"Let's read what couldn't wait til after class…" Ronnie Anne snarked.

"W-Wait!" Luan perked up. "In the name of The Son, I beg you not to read that! Please!"

Luna hopped off the tires and walked closer to Ronnie Anne to see what was happening. Lily just stood next to them, lost in what's happening. Ronnie Anne blinked at the screen. Three new text messages...from Lisa.

"Luan. Lori and Luna have failed to send in their status reports. I am under the impression that your mission may have been a failure. Please report back soon with info on recapturing Codename: SON and Codename: LAMB."

"Codename: LAMB?" asked Ronnie Anne.

Luna slightly pointed to Lily. Ronnie Anne didn't know what, but that name felt wrong to her. It made her uneasy. However,s he had to figure out what is happening. She reads the next message.

"As I await for your status report, I shall present you mine. One: Lynn has been properly treated for her wound is is undergoing the first stage of the treatment. Two: RAFI P-3 has been finalized and is for testing soon. This batch I believe will be the final form of the treatment. A vaccine level ingestion. One injection, the treatment never falls from your system. It will work to fit us."

Ronnie Anne and Luna froze. The idea of there's a treatment that's long lasting scared them. The final treatment to put all of them under the influence of this stuff made Ronnie Anne think that Lincoln and Lily are in real danger. She starts to shake and read the last message.

"Report soon. We also took notice of a spy in out mix and it seemed MOTHER has not been honest and have been going through treatment. We have her restrained for the time being."

Ronnie Anne wasn't sure what that meant. Luna's mouth gaped.

"L-Leni…" Luan said softly.

Lily's eyes widen.

"Wh-What happen to Leni?" Lily asked.

Luna got into Luan's face and grabbe dher by the collar.

"What are they going to do to her?!" Luna demanded.

Luan didn't answer.

"Answer me!" Luan shouted.

Luan exhales.

"Q-Que le Fils veille sur moi alors que je protège son troupeau en ne parlant pas…" she replied.

Luna has had enough.

Luna snatches the phone out of Ronnie Anne's hand. She grabs ahold of Luan's shirt through the restraints and slides the cellphone between her legs. Lily and Ronnie Anne was just so lost at what the hell they were looking at. Luna took out her phone. Luan sweated to sweat and grow pale.

"You and I know what you used to be…" Luan started. "What you are...and if you don't tell his what's happening at that house, I swear to God I will call you over and over and over...we all know it's on vibrate."

Luan took a hard shallow.

"Please, Luna...h-have mercy...don't do this...I-I don't want to go back to that…" Luan begged.

"Just tell us what we wanna know…" Luna said calmly.

Luan grows quiet and shakes her head.

Luna slammed her finger on the class button. Its ringing. As the vibrating sounds off from Luan's lap, she was no longer pale. Her face flashed a light pink, as she moans to the vibration. It vibrates again and the girl squeals and moans lewdly, sweat cascading from her face and drool trailing from the side of her lips. Lightly pant as her body tenses up. During the pause in the vibrating, the girl squirms in her chair, nearly begging for the next wave. It vibrates again and Luan couldn't help it. No religion was strong enough to shake her delight.

"OooooooOOooo~...Yes~..." Luan said airly.

Ronnie Anne blushed and walked over to cover up Lily's eyes, feeling this has gone a route where Lily shouldn't be present. Luna calls again.

"What is happening there?!" Luna shouts.

It virbates again and Luan is just accept the wave, tongue hanging out of her mouth as her face glows a bright red. Lightly panting with the wave. Luan was growing very annoyed.

"Answer me already!" Luna demanded again.

"I-I'm so close...so so so so so so cloooooose.." Luan said.

"What is even happening anymore?!" Ronnie Anne shouted.

"I wanna see!" Lily shouted.

"NO, YOU DON'T!" Luna and Ronnie Anne shouted in unison.

"L-Let her seeeeee!" Luan said loosely. "It just want I need to get off!"

"You sick b-" Luna started.

* * *

Suddenly, a loud crash is heard from the far end of the warehouse. Luna, Ronnie Anne and Lily turn their heads to see the commotion and barreling towards them is a a black car-old timey. Cutting through the ground like an obsidian full metal jacket with car was damages heavily in the front, but the speed never cease. It's coming straight for them. Ronnie Anne quickly grabs a now scream Lily whil Luna quickly slices Luan's restraicts as the car gets near. In a quick second, Luna grabs Luan and jumps themselves out of the way as the car slams to a stop mere feet of them, hitting a few spins along the ground and coming to a screeching forced stop. Everything is quiet as the smoke feels the room.

Ronnie Annie and Lily look up and peer through the smoke, the car is battered; heavily damaged on all sides. The engine was a cloud of smoke and the two front tires are ripped to shreds. Luna tries to get up but noticed Luan was on top of her. Before she could move, she heard it.

"AHHHHHhhhhhhhH!~ OooooOooooOoo, sugar honey ice teeeeeea….!" Luan shouted loudly. Right after that, she blacks out and falls limb on top of her.

Luna froze. She felt a warm, wet sensation on her shirt.

"Oh, god!" Luna shouted. "SHE FUCKING FINISHED ON ME!"

Ronnie Anne balled her lips, trying not to giggle. While Lily looks at the car. Out of nowhere, the truck door just spring open. Lily yelped, causing Ronnie to step in front of her with the gun. Luna rolled Luan off of her and stood up. Out of the trunk crawled out a winded, frightened blonde woman. It was Lori. She started to crawl away from the car only to hear the front door of the car open. Lori tried to speed up, before-

*SMACK!*

Lori falls limp to the impact of a piece of wood. From the smoke, the attacker was Lincoln. However, no one cheered or looked happy to see him. Lincoln stood there with a crazed smile on his face. His hair long and wild. Eyes with shaky pupils and sweating like her crawled from the maw of Hell. He looks around and laughs a little to himself.

"Hey, guys! How good is ya now?" Lincoln said.

"W-What?" asked Ronnie Anne. Lincoln destroyed that sentence.

"Sorry...I'm..kinda not myself!" Lincoln said with a laugh.

Luna and Ronnie Anne froze. Lily shook with fear. The way he smiled and laughed in such a unexplained manner and given what he's just done to Lori was unsettling. All three looked to Lori. Lincoln noticed and chuckled.

"Oh!" Lincoln said, throwing his arms in the air. Oh Oh Oh-Oh-Oh Oh oh oh! Her! She's fine! She's gone be fine! Fine. Just-fine! S-She's not dead, if!...That's the p-problem. S-She's fine! Dandy!"

That response didn't calm them down in the slightest. As they stedy him more, they noticed the dried blood n his hair. That with a crudely down bandage on his head. Ronnie pointed to it. Lincoln noticed and smiled. He turns his attention to Luna. Without saying too much, he awkwardly walks over to Luna. Luna just stares, confused by her brothers previous actions and even more afraid of what he might try to do now. Before long, he holds on to her and kisses her deeply. Lily screams in horror and Ronnie Anne's heart sinks as tears start to form.

"No….this isn't right…." Ronnie Anne thought to herself.

"L-Lincy!" Lily shouted in anger. "What are you doing?!"

Lincoln breaks the kiss, leaving a red faced and awe struck Luna behind him. He kneels down next to Lily and hugs her tightly.

"Lilybug!" Lincoln said. "You gotten so big since I last say you!"

"W-Wha..?" Lily said. Ronnie ANne was still too shocked from the kiss to calculate what was happening.

"Yeah, it's been...well, how long? A-A few weekles?" Lincoln said.

"W-Weekles..?' Lily asked.

Lincoln punched himself in the face. Lily yelps and he laughs, embarrassed as blood flows down his nose.

"Weeks! I meant WEEKS!" he said with a laugh. "Thanks, kiddo!"

"Lincy…" Lily started. "It's only been a night…"

"What? What are you talking about?" Lincoln said, honestly confused.

"Lincy, have...h-have you been taking your medicine..?" Lily asked.

Lincoln looks away and chuckles.

"L-Lincy…?" Lily asked, clearly afraid.

"I...I MAY have ran out some time back, Lilybug. I forgot to go to the store. But Dad-le-mom-Len-ori will get it for me.." Lincoln said with a laugh.

Lily started quietly with tears running down her face.

Lincoln stood up. Shows a bright, wicked looking smile on his awfully stressed out looking face.

"Okay! We got a house to...and..s-sisters to k-kill maybe. No! To stop! Not kill! To stop!' Lincoln started. "Luna! The car is fucked! Go see if you can find us a new car! Check the parking lot!"

Luna, still dumbfounded, silently walks toward the door to look for a car.

"Ronnie! Pick up the blonde and I'll get the bible thumper! Gotta use them as leverage" Lincoln said.

Ronnie Anne, still in shock, walked to go retrieve Lori. Lincoln looked to Lily, who stood there silently and shook like a leaf, fearful of her brother's gaze.

"And you wait right here while big brother takes care of things. Okay?" Lincoln said.

Lily nodded.

Lincoln left her there while he goes to retrieve Luan. It took a while, but the fact settled with her. Lily knew without his medicine and because of his injury, Lincoln is slowly breaking down. And the things can only get worse from here. Lily knew this to be fact: she has to be the one to save him.

 _"Only He can bring us peace. Bring us hope. Bring us sanity."_


End file.
